10 Dilemmas faced by Muslim footballers

[Showkat]

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?

[Woodrow]

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?

Any position in the Mosque

Peacekeepers

Educators

Healers

Food Providers

Housing construction workers

Social Reformers

[Karina]

Hey - I can see your point, wow, there's so many potential hurdles for you to consider....
(but I honestly think that the vast majority of footballers in England, let alone Muslim ones, will never ever have to worry about these or any other religious dilemas in respect of playing for their country - I'm not sure on the odds of being picked to play for England, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too far off chances of (a non-muslim of course!) winning the national lottery! hehe)

Just out of curiosity - I am a mortgage and insurance consultant, working in a mixed-sex open plan office, dealing with my clients over the phone and face-to-face. As I am dealing with a type of lending involving chargable interest, if I was Muslim, would this be an acceptable choice of career for me?

Thanks
Karina

[chacha_jalebi]

lol u can do that list for loads of jobs

the same goes for cricket - so muslims shouldnt play cricket?
let me do some explainin

1.Gambling logos on shirts

as freddie kanoute did, and hashim amla the south african cricketer, they refused to wear anti islamic stuf on their shirts, and the authorities respected that!

2. Mixed baths and showers

when i play footy its the same scenario and people say aint you gona have a shower, n i say "i aint havin a shower wit all men, im not gay" and that got everyone thinkin, now all the people even d kafirs have seperate showers or just go home and have a shower

3. Shorts

you can always be a goalie and wear tracksuits and theres loads of players who wear long socks and long shorts i.e - fabregas, ronaldo so its not about awrah

4. Fasting in Ramadhan

the sahaba (ra) did jihaad whilst fastin, so whats a 90 minute footy match, come on u whimps

5. Champagne celebrations

who said you have to take part? when pak players come 2 play 4 clubs here, they get man of the match because they heavy and the reward is a bottle of wine, they say we dont drink simple! so footy players can do the same

6. Act like hooligan on pitch

again. who says you got take part, instead you can set a example and let the people know you will act all peaceful and all smily, because thats what islam says, and what a better place to promote islam then on a footy pitch

7. Cheating and 9. Honesty

again set a example you dont gotta cheat, and if someone fouls you, ya dont have to explain, just be quiet! let the ref do his job thats what he is there for!! or again you can tell the ref it wasnt a serious tackle, and it dont matter what people think of ya!!

8. Friday jummah

you can always be asked to substituted innit! and in europe the league matches dont happen on friday, and on weekdays mosty fixtures aint midday!!

10. Refuse to play for your country

who says you have to put your nationality down as english you can always put it down as the land of your parents, or you can just say you dont want to play international, you want to play at club level

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?

accordin to my post football is fine!!

i think quite a lot of the time people just look at one side of somethin and not the other!!

islam is simple man, we have made it hard for ourselfs, but we need to realise and remember its simple!!!

come attack me now naa hope i didnt offend anyone

[islamirama]

Hey - I can see your point, wow, there's so many potential hurdles for you to consider....
(but I honestly think that the vast majority of footballers in England, let alone Muslim ones, will never ever have to worry about these or any other religious dilemas in respect of playing for their country - I'm not sure on the odds of being picked to play for England, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too far off chances of (a non-muslim of course!) winning the national lottery! hehe)

Just out of curiosity - I am a mortgage and insurance consultant, working in a mixed-sex open plan office, dealing with my clients over the phone and face-to-face. As I am dealing with a type of lending involving chargable interest, if I was Muslim, would this be an acceptable choice of career for me?

Thanks
Karina

275. Those who eat Ribâ (usury) will not stand (on the Day of Resurrection) except like the standing of a person beaten by Shaitân (Satan) leading him to insanity. That is because they say: "Trading is only like Ribâ (usury)," whereas Allâh has permitted trading and forbidden Ribâ (usury). So whosoever receives an admonition from his Lord and stops eating Ribâ (usury) shall not be punished for the past; his case is for Allâh (to judge); but whoever returns [to Ribâ (usury)], such are the dwellers of the Fire - they will abide therein.

Messenger of Allah cursed the devourer of usury, its payer, its scribe and its two witnesses. He also said that they were equal (in sin).

Messenger of Allah said: I came across some people in the night in which I was taken to the heavens.Their stomachs were like houses wherein there were serpents,which could be seen from the front of the stomachs. I asked Gabriel! Who are these people? He replied these are those who devoured usury. [Ahmed,Ibn Majah]

Messenger (peace be upon him) curse those who took usury, those who paid it, those who recorded it, and those who refused to give sadaqah.

More @
http://muttaqun.com/riba.html
Islamic Economic and Banking
WHY DOES ISLAM PROHIBIT INTEREST (RIBA)


A Muslim can't work in a career field that involves interest in any way or fashion. There are many ways to excel in that career without having to deal with interest.