- Toronto has seen a surge in the popularity of sports leagues catering to Muslim women
- Several leagues also provide Muslim women with a female-only environment where athletes can adhere to modesty rules
Getting an opportunity to practice sports in an environment friendly to her faith has always been a challenge for Muslim women.
One of these women is Malak Aiad, a Toronto Muslim woman who spent summers playing soccer in youth leagues across the GTA.
Yet, it wasn’t until last summer that she finally felt like she belonged in a sport when she joined the Muslimah Athletic Association to play in their Division A soccer league.
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“As you get into more competitive leagues as you get older, the diversity really decreases,” Aiad, who plays on team Messi-ssauga, told Toronto Star.
“Team culture in sports is alcohol-based, and a lot about partying … and for some time, I was looking for a team and group of girls where I could be true to myself,” said Aiad. “I found that here.”
Malak Aiad warms up before an afternoon match in a soccer league for Muslim women. (Rick Madonik)
Over the past two years, GTA has seen a significant increase in sports leagues catering to Muslim women. Several leagues also provide Muslim women with a female-only environment where they can wear the hijab or be safe from judgmental people.
“The leagues are open to everyone, but one of the requirements is that people follow Islamic guidelines, which can entail the way teams speak to each other, the way people talk to refs, or the dress code,” said Zainab Gajani, one of the organizers of Muslimah Athletic Association, which launched in April 2022.
“This is the kind of place that if you fall down, everyone will stop the game and come over to pick you up. Everyone’s competitive, but they are here to build that sisterhood.”
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Huge Demand
The idea of the association first came to Gajani and her friend Salma Abu Hattab after moving to Toronto from Calgary because she was “looking for like-minded friends and a community” in a new city.
But soon, Gajani said, they realized the demand was more than they could handle through a volunteer organization.
Realizing the demand for these associations, Gajani, who now runs Muslimah Athletic Association full-time, said the organization has grown from one soccer league to more than 400 athletes in various sports, including soccer, volleyball, basketball, boxing, and dragon boat racing.
“I was surprised at the turnout and that women were willing to commit to coming out for a few hours every weekend,” said Gajani. “But I think that just goes to show that they didn’t have this opportunity.”
Khadija Atcha, currently playing beach volleyball with Muslimah Athletic Association, said modest uniforms are a unique part of their league.
“Here we have a community where women support one another … where we can play in our own comfortable uniforms,” she said.
“It’s a way for us to challenge our passions … and take it a step beyond our own careers or own homes or the roles that we play when we are off the court.”
Muslims’ approach to sports is often determined by religious, cultural, and ethnic factors.
In general, Islam promotes good health and fitness and encourages both men and women to engage in physical activity to maintain healthy lifestyles.
Recently, a growing number of Muslim women have been taking part in different sports in celebration of diversity.
In the UK, the Muslimah Sports Association (MSA) was launched eight years ago to empower young sportive Muslim women. It now offers over 15 sports a week including; Badminton, Basketball, Netball, Karate, Football, and Tennis.