NationStates Jolt Archive

I have seen my share of ridiculous fatwas but this one is too good.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_28-8-2005_pg7_8
Saudi clerics declare football un-Islamic

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Ulema in Saudia Arabia have issued a fatwa (religious decree) declaring football an un-Islamic sport, and have urged the youth to quit it immediately, BBC radio reported on Saturday.

According to the report, the clerics urged the youth to indulge in jihad and other constructive activities that could help the Muslim ummah, the radio reported. The ulema argued that football wastes a lot of time and the participants wear shorts, which they said was an un-Islamic dress, the radio reported.

Following the decree, some players of the famous Taif Football Club have quit the game, the report added.

Result

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Sport&loid=8.0.200835048&par=0
SAUDI ARABIA: FOOTBALL FATWA LED PLAYERS TO AL-QAEDA


Riyadh, 25 August (AKI) - The decision of three footballers from a team in the Saudi city of Taif near Mecca to join al-Qaeda was prompted by a fatwa, or religious edict, condemning the game, the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan reports. Earlier this week the paper interviewed the captain of the team and father of one of the footballers, who was arrested while trying to carry out a suicide attack. Now Majid Sawat, Tamer Al-Thamali and Dayf Allah Al-Harithi's team-mates have revealed that the three were influenced by the fatwa, which banned Muslims from playing.

Sawat's father confirmed that he is currently being held in Mosul prison. However, his two companions, Tamer al-Thamali and Dayf Allah al-Harithi, are reported to have completed their suicide 'missions'. :eek:

The Islamic decree was signed by a group of fundamentalist ulema and issued over the Internet on 12 June 2002, months before the three went to Iraq. The edict said Muslims were not allowed to play football unless they abided by certain conditions, such as always being fully covered when they play, as shorts are considered Western clothing which does not cover enough of the body. They were also banned from using foreign words like 'corner' and 'out', as well as being forbidden from using the rules of the international football federations, such as those which govern the size of the pitch and the need to play with a team of 11. The fatwa also bans the use of a referee.
:p

The team mates of the three believe they were brain-washed by integralist imams. Team captain Jafar Attas told Al-Watan the three footballers met up with others every Wednesday and Thursday to carry out religious activities.

Commenting on the fatwa claims, Abdel Muhsin Al-Abikani, a legal advisor to the Saudi justice ministry, told the newspaper that the edict issued over the Internet was wrong, as Islam does not ban the use of foreign words, and the Prophet Mohammad himself used them during his life. According to Al-Abikani there is nothing to stop footballers following international rules, so long as they are in accordance with Sharia Islamic law. In terms of how to dress while playing, he added that it was necessary to wear knee-length shorts, in order to stay in line with Islamic dress code for men.

Saudi Arabia, remains a key ally in the global war on terror...I mean..the struggle against voilent extremism or whatever it is labelled today.

Btw, if you are really bored and want some fun , go to

http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/Fatwa/ShowFatwa.php?lang=E&Id=4022&Option=FatwaId

and look up the fatwas. For fun stuff do a search for the words, urine and toilet. For serious stuff use keyword kaffir/kufr/jihad.

re: the first source...

the clerics urged the youth to indulge in jihad and other constructive activities that could help the Muslim ummah

There is a misunderstanding of the term "Jihad" in western culture. "Jihad" means "struggle". Any muslim that takes on a personal mission can be a "Jihadist". For example, a teacher may take his jihad to be delivering the best education he can. A doctor may take as his jihad the vow to save as many lives as he can. Etc, etc.

So in effect, these clerics are most probably telling the youth to study more and work harder, as evidenced by:

The ulema argued that football wastes a lot of time

Just clearing up one misconception...

re: the first source...



There is a misunderstanding of the term "Jihad" in western culture. "Jihad" means "struggle". Any muslim that takes on a personal mission can be a "Jihadist". For example, a teacher may take his jihad to be delivering the best education he can. A doctor may take as his jihad the vow to save as many lives as he can. Etc, etc.

So in effect, these clerics are most probably telling the youth to study more and work harder, as evidenced by:



Just clearing up one misconception...unfortunatly, the three Islamic Footballers who participated in suicide missions obviously took the popular definition of 'Jihad'

also wondering about the Internet site that declared that Fatwa.

It is what the word has come to mean amongst a majority if its own followers, that matters.

Perhaps you should read this part again.

Riyadh, 25 August (AKI) - The decision of three footballers from a team in the Saudi city of Taif near Mecca to join al-Qaeda was prompted by a fatwa, or religious edict, condemning the game, the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan reports. Earlier this week the paper interviewed the captain of the team and father of one of the footballers, who was arrested while trying to carry out a suicide attack. Now Majid Sawat, Tamer Al-Thamali and Dayf Allah Al-Harithi's team-mates have revealed that the three were influenced by the fatwa, which banned Muslims from playing.

Sawat's father confirmed that he is currently being held in Mosul prison. However, his two companions, Tamer al-Thamali and Dayf Allah al-Harithi, are reported to have completed their suicide 'missions'

I know what is jihad and what is lesser jihad and greater jihad. But do the suicide bombers know?

unfortunatly, the three Islamic Footballers who participated in suicide missions obviously took the popular definition of 'Jihad'

also wondering about the Internet site that declared that Fatwa.

Indeed they did, but more than likely their interpretation was wrong. :p

It is what the word has come to mean amongst a majority if its own followers, that matters.

That's not true. Most Muslims won't think "destroy the western world" when you mention "Jihad".

But do the suicide bombers know?

As I said, their interpretation was probably not was intended.

Indeed they did, but more than likely their interpretation was wrong. :psmall comfort to the survivors of their suicide missions as well as their family and friends.

wonder how the third one feels when the cleiric explains what he really meant.

small comfort to the survivors of their suicide missions as well as their family and friends.

Aye, true.


wonder how the third one feels when the cleiric explains what he really meant.

um, stupid, maybe? I'm not trying to get into an argument here...and regardless, i'm not going to, because i'm off to bed.

then again, what did the cleric mean by Jihad when he states
According to the report, the clerics urged the youth to indulge in jihad and other constructive activities that could help the Muslim ummah, the radio reported. The ulema argued that football wastes a lot of time and the participants wear shorts, which they said was an un-Islamic dress, the radio reported.wouldn't that be "...indulge in Jihad. To find other constructive activities..."

by saying Indulge in Jihad and other constructive activites, can mislead people to the popular term of Jihad.

um, stupid, maybe? I'm not trying to get into an argument here...and regardless, i'm not going to, because i'm off to bed.
No, not trying to start an argument, discussion maybe, but not an argument. Night.

I don't know if this has screened outside Australia and New Zealand, but there's a great Aussie show called "John Safran vs God", which takes the piss out of pretty much every religion and belief system. In one episode John Safran went to the UK and managed to convince a Muslim cleric to issue a fatwa on another Aussie comedian. I don't know who the cleric is, but he issues a hell of a lot of fatwas. Apparently when Iran's clerics removed the fatwa on Salman Rushdie, he issued one on all of them!

The origins of football lie in kicking around an inflated pig's bladder, so I was expecting that to be the explanation.

As for Jihad, yeah, the word has more than one meaning.

That's not true. Most Muslims won't think "destroy the western world" when you mention "Jihad".

Since jihad != "destroy western world", I am sure most muslim won't think that.

As I understand it, jihad = holy war/struggle. Some scholars differentiate it into "lesser" jihad as war against infidels and "greater" jihad as war against the self (inner struggle for purification etc). But back in the 17th century, pan-islamist scholars have declared that there is no difference between the two and in fact that the former is necessary for the later.

So, do most muslims think jihad = holy war against infidels ? I think yes. Sunnis (Deobandis, Barelvis etc) and Wahabbis interpret it as such and they make up the majority, not the Sufis and Shias.