10 Dilemmas faced by Muslim footballers
By Showkat Ali
1.Gambling logos on shirts
Yes this is a major problem; I mean the big Capitalist companies pay clubs millions to have their logo on the shirts, and the Money is used to pay the huge transfer fees and most importantly the salary of the players. So how can you go to your manager and Say “Boss my religion forbids me to advertise lager and gambling”. It’s kind of tough but then again jannah isn’t cheap either, but Freddie Kanoutie did exactly that, refused to wear a shirt advertising gambling.
2. Mixed baths and showers
This is part of guys messing about and getting close to each other and building team spirit and sometimes even the manager jumps into the bath. It’s all a bit of a laugh really and no one really pays much attention, uhmm, to you know what I mean? Even the white guys feel ok, next to the black guys, well some do feel a bit insecure, but it’s a good laugh end of the day. So it’s a bit hard explaining to your team mates about modesty, haya etc.
3. Shorts
Everyone wears shorts even in the winter, but sadly you can buy tight ones, but very few cover the awrah and wearing long ones or tracksuit bottoms can make you stand out, but then again as Muslims we should stand out from the rest of the people based on our behaviour.
4. Fasting in Ramadhan
Very tough to get round this one, imagine telling your boss that you want to take a holiday or time off for Ramadhan, boss aint going to be best pleased, even with rotation of the squad.
5. Champagne celebrations
This is quite exciting to watch, scenes of jubilation after winning the championship and cups. A massive bottle of champagne which players shake and then let explode drenching everyone including the manager. The range of the spray is hard to avoid and every player is covered in alcohol and it’s very hard to avoid contact with this expensive liquid
6. Act like hooligan on pitch
Nowadays winning is all that matters and aggression and swearing and winding up players is the norm. Cameras may be watching but still fighting, tripping and bad tackles are all tactics used to get an unfair advantage. Telling your team mates that as a Muslims you got a higher level of morals and values won’t really wash and make you seem like a sissy and wimp. Also hitting the player who insults your female relatives can get you sent off like Zidane.
7. Cheating
It’s about winning by any means possible and who cares the cameras are watching and the next day you will be labelled a cheat? If you can wind players up and provoke a reaction then go for it and get them sent off, and when they touch you or even head butt you because you insulted their mum or sister then go down and act like you are having a fit.
8. Friday jummah
Tough one this, some matches can be played on a Friday and clash with Jummah. All the other prayers you can pray individually but Jummah has to be prayed collectively. Telling your employer that you will have to miss some of the match or even the whole game because of Friday prayers won’t get you any sympathy especially from people whose religion is football. Also the idea that you can pray all your prayers at night Qadhaa is totally invalid.
9. Honesty
As Muslims we are required to speak the truth even if it is against ourselves and interests. So imagine if the referee wants to book a player for fouling you and it’s his second yellow card and you intervene and say it wasn’t an intentional foul. Your team mates, fans and manager will not be best pleased, since your team will lose the advantage.
10. Refuse to play for your country
Some Muslim players born in the west face this problem, how can we play for a country which is killing our brothers and sisters around the world?
A country which does not accept us as equal citizens and forces us to choose between being Muslims and being British in terms of values?
Saying no to an England call up can label you a traitor and ungrateful to the nation which gave you many opportunities, but you know to stand and represent a colonialist nation is treachery to your Muslim brothers and sisters who are suffering and are the victims of occupation.
So what careers can we as Muslims choose which is halal and will earn us the pleasure of Allah swt in this life and the next?
I disagree. Some of those points are just pushing it.
1. - Play for a different team if it is that much of an issue.
2 - If someone kicks up a fuss, soemthing may eb done. If not can't just blame the status quo.
3. - Wear those under-short things that go way down.
4 - Evening matches. Even iof they are played during the day, it is only 90 minutes.
5 - Personal choice. You can always just avoid that.
6 - don't need to.
7 - don't need to
8 - unless Friday is boxing day, in the UK there are no matches I am aware of. Even then 3pm kickoff is the normal time. You can always read Zuhr, especially with the chance you will be travelling.
9 - not an issue. You can be as honest as you like.
10 - not an issue. You do not NEED to play for your country. You probably want to though. Foot ball and military endeavours are two different things Otherwise you should apply for a different nationality and leave the country.
In total I totally disagree.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar used to fast during Ramadan, and his performance stats actually improved while he was fasting!
Don't just do something! Stand there.
showkat on his 'hate the west campaign' again.
ridiculous and weak arguments.
have u got nothing better to do???
what u working on next?
10 dillemas of muslims living in uk lol
Now, now. That is not needed.
Not everyone has a family to provide for. Some of us are still young at heart. Don't need to work. or are on hols.
Besides we have no right to actually tell people how to spend their time.
Saying that I have shown that I fundamentally disagree with most of the points in the first post.
Besides, a dilemma is something you have to thik about, not necesarily something to oppose.
After all football is probably that chewing khat all day, as is the tradition in some of the Arab world.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2157260,00.html
Don't just do something! Stand there.
unless your a molvi there is no such thing as halal career. Even being a doctor isnt a halal career. Yes you are saving lives but there is that contact with patients of the opposite sex. But at the end of the day what can you do, you have to make a living.
On the issue of Muslim footballers, there are a lot of careers out there that are more religion friendly then football. Plus we stink at cricket so what makes us think that we could be better at football. What coz you go for a kick around the park every evein you think your the next David Beckham. I think playing the football should be left to the non Muslims and watching the football is what we Muslims should stick to.
Hooliganism is a massive problem when it comes to footy matches. Personally i think they should ban ppl altogether from coming down to watch it. But that will never happen coz it means there are losing out on money. Why would you want to spend all that money on a ticket when you can’t even see owt. Me I rather watch it in the comfort of my own living room.
No not the gum drop buttons! – Gingy
:roll:
Great spoof article, Showkat!
Don't just do something! Stand there.