Following are excerpts from an address delivered by Egyptian cleric Safwat Higazi, which aired on Al-Nas TV on July 11, 2010.

Safwat Higazi: The mother of Saladin taught her son how to be a mujahid and a fighter. Iban Shaddad asked Saladin: "What games did you play when you were a child?" Saladin said: "My mother taught me how to play a game of stick and ball, and this game became my hobby and my specialty." This game is like the polo of today – it is played on a horse, with a stick and a ball, and the players hit the ball with the stick while riding the horse. The horses gallop with much strength and at great speed. That used to be the game of stick and ball.

When he was young, Saladin used to play this game. His mother chose for him a sport that was suitable for Jihad. She did not choose a game like backgammon or billiards, or any other soft and laid-back game. No. She chose a sport that would teach him Jihad and fighting – the game of stick and ball, which is like polo.

You should choose the sport that your son will play. I'm not saying that a child should not play, but he should play a game that will benefit him when he grows up.

Today, all our children sit in front of the computer and the playstation, and play games that will never lead them to wage Jihad.