Allow Non-Muslims and Girls To Join?

[Iceee]

Salaam. Please skip to the bottom where it says "Problems" if you wish to not read my bad writing.

2 years ago, my friend and I decided to try out an idea we always kept thinking of doing but not actually doing it. We decided to start our own Ball Hockey league in our area of Toronto (Area called Scarborough). We had four hockey nets from when we were kids and we also had old and used goalie equipment for kids so we decided to give it a go.

We started off by getting permission from the Manager to allow us to use the empty Gym every Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to noon. She said yes as long as we cleaned up after ourselves which we agreed to do. We first set the age limit of the players to 8-12 years old. We then started telling all the kids in our area, posting flyers, posting on Internet, and even telling boys at the local masjid.

Mashallah with the help of Allah Subhanahuwatallah, we got around 30 boys to hand in a registration form and pay a small fee ($40.00 each). We got everything ready; First Aid Kit, set up boards so people can watch etc. We then made the teams and the schedule. We used the money to buy jerseys, bigger and better equipment, and balls. We made four teams and got volunteers who wanted to coach to coach those teams. My friend and I referee'd the games. Players were to bring their own hockey stick. The first year went really well.

Our second year but hectic. Around 60 players sent in their registration forms and money. We created two divisions; Division One - Players aged 8-12. Division Two - Players aged 13-16. We had more teams, we had a lot more volunteer coaches and we all cleaned up after ourselves (well, my friend I did mostly). Mashallah we had an amazing second season last year Summer.

Problems

Problem 1: Our Small League is called "Palace Islamic Ball Hockey League."
Last year we faced a problem when non-muslims started sending their registration forms in (around 8-9 of them). We decided to allow them to play and they followed rules and had a good time just like the Muslims.
However, before the games begin, both teams with their coaches and referee come into the middle and 1 player is selected from either team to read a surat from the Quran (short one). This upset one parent as their child wasn't a Muslim and couldn't read the Quran, embarrassing him. We later made a rule that ONLY muslims were to read a surat.

Problem 2: We got registration forms from girls. Now we never thought a girl would play ball hockey against boys so we weren't sure what to do. We called and they said they would wear the hijab, no shorts, pants only, and shoes. As owner, I decided to say no last year to the girls.


Inshallah we are planning on holding our third season this Summer.
Should I allow Non-Muslims to join our Islamic Hockey League?
How about Girls?

[Iceee]

Salaam.

Ja'Zakullah for allowing me to post.

[*charisma*]

Assalamu Alaikum

I enjoy how you bump up your threads in such a kind manner :D

I don't think it's a problem for nonMuslim boys to play with muslim boys, but I agree that you should not make them recite the quran or do anything Islamic related, unless they offer to do it themselves. You should also inform the parents that the team is an Islamic one and the players will be exposed to islamic practices before they register. Wa allahu a'lem. I'm not sure about the Islamic guidelines 100% for Muslims and nonMuslims mixing for a game, so this is all just strictly my opinion.

Girls should not play with the boys at all. Mixing should not be allowed.

If your intentions for the team are to reflect the islamic guidelines, then try your best to stick with that intention regardless of feeling like you don't want to turn anyone down inshallah.


fi aman Allah
w'salaam

[Iceee]

Assalamu Alaikum

I enjoy how you bump up your threads in such a kind manner :D

I don't think it's a problem for nonMuslim boys to play with muslim boys, but I agree that you should not make them recite the quran or do anything Islamic related, unless they offer to do it themselves. You should also inform the parents that the team is an Islamic one and the players will be exposed to islamic practices before they register. Wa allahu a'lem. I'm not sure about the Islamic guidelines 100% for Muslims and nonMuslims mixing for a game, so this is all just strictly my opinion.

Girls should not play with the boys at all. Mixing should not be allowed.

If your intentions for the team are to reflect the islamic guidelines, then try your best to stick with that intention regardless of feeling like you don't want to turn anyone down inshallah.


fi aman Allah
w'salaam

Salaam.

Just thanking the forum moderators for allowing me to post, I think some hate me :(

Just to add; at the end of the season we have awards given to everyone for participation, awards to MVP, Winning Team, the team that made it to the finals, and also an award to the coaches and goalies.

Problem; This is held at the Gym of the local masjid. So I don't know whether it is allowed to allow non-muslims into the mosque just to get awards. (Also have a barbecue at the end of the season.)

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[*charisma*]

Assalamu Alaikum

There was a private islamic school nearby where I lived that had a masjid and gym. Nonmuslim students were allowed to attend the school as students and they had eid parties and I believe other kinds of ceremonies in the gym and outside every year that they were also allowed to attend. It shouldn't be a problem if it will be in the gym inshallah. Ask the imam of the masjid just to double check inshallah.

fi aman Allah
w'salaam

[Iceee]

Assalamu Alaikum

There was a private islamic school nearby where I lived that had a masjid and gym. Nonmuslim students were allowed to attend the school as students and they had eid parties and I believe other kinds of ceremonies in the gym and outside every year that they were also allowed to attend. It shouldn't be a problem if it will be in the gym inshallah. Ask the imam of the masjid just to double check inshallah.

fi aman Allah
w'salaam

Salaam.

^^^This is allowed according to the previous years we have done this.

But parents may not be okay with their child going into a mosque for awards and food...and this is our concern.

Also: Since Non-Muslims don't read the Quran and won't be able to read a surat before the game, I'm thinking of giving them a Hadith or having them choose a Hadith from the Quran and reading it outloud in English.
Is this allowed?

We made it official no girls allowed to play whether they are 16 or 8 years old. Might be crazy rule to some players but I'm sure they'll understand.

Ja'Zakullah for your input.

[*charisma*]

Wa'alaikum Assalam

But parents may not be okay with their child going into a mosque for awards and food...and this is our concern.

then why not talk to the parents??

Also: Since Non-Muslims don't read the Quran and won't be able to read a surat before the game, I'm thinking of giving them a Hadith or having them choose a Hadith from the Quran and reading it outloud in English.
Is this allowed?

It's allowed for them to read translated verses from the quran, but make sure they don't touch the mus7af itself. There's also nothing wrong with them reading ahadith aloud. Keep in mind though, if your intention is to help bring them closer to islam, then it's ok. If it's not, then you shouldn't make them feel like it's obligatory upon them to do it, cuz imagine if you were on a Christian team and they wanted you to read verses of the Bible when all you want to do is just be a part of their team to play.

I think you should improve the registration forms to reflect your intentions for the team, because if there's going to be nonMuslims on the team, they will be representatives of what you are trying to reflect upon the team as a whole. I also don't want you to feel like you have to accommodate for nonMuslims by giving up an islamic practice, because eventually after each accommodation, it may no longer reflect a team of islamic values. Does that make sense?? lol

fi aman Allah
w'salaam

[Iceee]

Wa'alaikum Assalam



then why not talk to the parents??



It's allowed for them to read translated verses from the quran, but make sure they don't touch the mus7af itself. There's also nothing wrong with them reading ahadith aloud. Keep in mind though, if your intention is to help bring them closer to islam, then it's ok. If it's not, then you shouldn't make them feel like it's obligatory upon them to do it, cuz imagine if you were on a Christian team and they wanted you to read verses of the Bible when all you want to do is just be a part of their team to play.

I think you should improve the registration forms to reflect your intentions for the team, because if there's going to be nonMuslims on the team, they will be representatives of what you are trying to reflect upon the team as a whole. I also don't want you to feel like you have to accommodate for nonMuslims by giving up an islamic practice, because eventually after each accommodation, it may no longer reflect a team of islamic values. Does that make sense?? lol

fi aman Allah
w'salaam

Salaam.

This was what my friend and I wanted at the beginning of all this;

We just wanted the young Muslims to be closer to Allahsubhanahuwatallah and learn to play with other brothers and get along. Have fun, but learn about Islam as well (by reading surats). Some of them may have never been inside a masjid so that is why the awards ceremony is at the mosque.

We hand the awards out after Zuhr Namaaz, then we have a barbeque, then during that we do it.
If the brothers choose to pray, they can. If they don't (which I have seen), they don't have to and can wait in the Masjid Gym while we are in the main hall.

While I am reffing, some parents would come up to me and swear at me and stuff for not calling a penalty or when I say no goal because I can't see the ball go inside the net. I'm only 18 and parents expect me to be much older probably, that's why they do this. It's much harder for me to talk to parents :(

Inshallah we have a wonderful season this Summer.
Ja'Zakullah for your advise once again.
Inshallah (most important) that the boys who join, come to watch, and parents become closer to Allahsubhanahuwatallah and learn how important Islam is.