LET'S define what exercise is for our women and girls. We are not talking about competitive sports like football. We are talking about basic fitness exercises and group classes that lower body fat, increase muscular strength and bone mass. We are talking about basic movement that our girls are not engaging in. We see younger victimes of obesity, diabetes and other preventable diseases. Our affluent way of life has lead us to more screen time and more fast food. We do not have facilities for our girls where they can burn the calories and became healthy. We need them to move at the early ages in a systematic way.

Our daughters are plagued with the following diseases that can be altered through physical fitness: Obesity, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, High Blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease, Colon and Breast Cancer, Depression (Post-Partum, after giving birth). Exercise releases endorphins that stimulate a state of relaxation that even makes you sleep better by releasing extra melatonin.

Saudi women tend not to see the sun, thus they are prone to Vitamin D deficiency (even if you have enough calcium). Exercise will deposit cells that make bones thicker and stronger. The exercising muscles will pull on the bone and also make them larger. This will offset Osteoporosis in the long run. The young girl exercising now will prevent boneloss when she is much older.

Saudi women tend to stress their bodies with having on average 3-4 kids. This normally makes them prone to increase weight. If they are used to exercising since childhood (ingrained in their culture) they will be more likely to lose the weight by exercising. This incremental weight is mostly fat making her prone to diabetes, hypertension and other diseases.

Exercise in youth (8-16) will make the body stronger against disease (immunity) and build a stronger, healthier heart and circulatory system. Women who exercise are less likely to have painful menstruation. They will produce healthier, stronger babies. When paired with a healthy diet, exercise can stimulate fertility and help conceive by controlling insulin resistance level.

Better quality of life in advanced years. Women who engage in physical activity in the early years tend to have less medical problem in their later years.

All our Gulf neighbors who share our conservatism have physical education in their schools. We still are hiding behind inuendos and excuses while the health of our daughters is deteriorating day by day. If the excuse is what kind of dress they wear, let's design an approved uniform. If it's the fact that exercise causes girls to become masculine, this is another absurdity with no scientific validity. Women have very low level of testosterone, thus will never have muscle mass like men. Exercise will not alter that.

It is an Islamic imperative to allow girls to exercise. Ayesha, the wife of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him), ran with him on several occasions. That is proof of the need to move and exercise.

Our daugthers have free time on their hand that can be used wisely to develop their bodies to increase their self esteem and psychological wellbeing. Mens sana in corpore sano -- a healthy mind resides in a healthy body.

The question is why not allow our daughters to exercise in accordance with Shariah and conforming to our culture?