Islamic View on Football

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

I personally like football and don't see anything harmful with it as long as it doesn't turn obssessive or cause a negative impact on one's deen.

Allahu Alim

would you sit and watch a football match for 90 minutes (and more including all the breaks)?

[salman]

Salamu `Alaykum

There are two aspects to consider:

[1] Playing a specific sport, such as football or basktball, which is mubah with the exception of things like cards or chess (theres khilaf on chess).

[2] Watching sports.

The fatwa for [2] in the Hanafi school is not the same as [1].

Wasalam

[Travelleress]

Asalamu 'alaykum,

I don't think there's anything wrong with playing sports for reasons of health and fitness; but I can completely understand the differentiation made by the 'ulema between playing and watching (as mentioned above).

Football in particular has it's own special qualities, as well as being good for health, it's good for building bonds. It can't be all that bad: my brother plays weekly to keep fit, last week a new man joined to play with them. Last week he wasn't a Muslim, this week he is alhamdu lillah. He said he'd never felt such love and brotherhood before.

Wasalam

[Neyzen]

Assalamu Alaikum

Football is like a heroin. People generally lose themselves. They do many immoral things.

Brothers and Sisters are being oppressed by kuffar. Muslims dont deserve anything but working hard. Muslims shouldnt be sleeping anymore.

Massalamah

[Owen]

I think football leagues like EPL, Liga, etc are MUCH better than World Cup.

I've never liked country vs country competition (World Cup, Olympics) because I feel 'Nationalism' is just another more formal and accepted tradition of racism. I love how Islam breaks any and all aspects of racial superiority. By the way, I'm not black...I just like seeing different colour skin sitting together.

I watch football because I like to watch strategies and skill. It's like a film documentary to me because the end-score is trivial to me. But then again, I've never been a 'football fanatic', alhamdulillah. I don't even buy or wear football jerseys and all those things.

Speaking of hidayaah... I did think of asking Allah SWT to give Thierry Henry hidayaah. Seriously though... that man is the only decent footballer around. Married, has morals, doesn't like to brag, and cares about children. If football is a religion then imagine how many 'fanatics' will convert if he becomes Muslim.

[salahuddin]

There are quite a few moral footballers around, almost certainly they're in the minority, but just because we don't know much about them (perhaps they're not as famous or celebrated as Thierry Henry) doesn't mean that they don't exist!They provide a counter to the general argument that all footballers are either stupid or immoral and that fotball is necessarily corrupting. One such example is Quinton Fortune of Man Utd.

[Shaykhs-Pir Sahib]

sitting for 90 minutes watching pro-football.

thats what you should be thinking about also.

[noor]

There are quite a few moral footballers around, almost certainly they're in the minority, but just because we don't know much about them (perhaps they're not as famous or celebrated as Thierry Henry) doesn't mean that they don't exist!They provide a counter to the general argument that all footballers are either stupid or immoral and that fotball is necessarily corrupting. One such example is Quinton Fortune of Man Utd.

i understand what your saying about moral footballers, but at the end of the day most of them are kafir with bucketloads of money. should our muslim youth really be trying to imitate them? by taking them as an example what we are really doing is admiring them. and admiration leads to following them. As muslims should we really be following them???????

[MoGame]

a3oothoo billahi minashaytan irajeem
bismillahirahmaniraheem
alhamdulillahi rabilalameen

Salaam u alaikum wr wb Brothers and Sisters..

I dedicated my life to the Game of Basketball. Ever since I was 6 years old. All I did was play basketball, I'd be out there all day, every day, eating, sleeping, LIVING basketball. When I was in school, I just wanted to get out to play, I loved it. I played in High school, and got a scholarship to College...Up until then, Islam was a big part of my parents lives..and it was in my life, but I didn't really care for it (astaghfirullah) I mean, I never messed with Girls (alhamdullillah)especially playing sports..girls are all over you, but alhamdulillah Allah was lookin out for me...but basically everything revolved around basketball to me..I cried, laughed, everything with basketball..but a couple weeks before I went off to college...My family (mother, 2 brothers, 1 sister) all who were in Egypt by now..and I stayed in The U.S..I was (still am) living by myself, working ot support myself (and inshallah my fam) and going to school....For the first time in my life, I realized there was more to life then basketball..but what was it? alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah..Allah Guided me to Islam. I realized the Importance and Beauty of Islam. And pretty soon, the satisfaction taht I thought I was getting with basketball, wans't even a drop of what I was getting with Islam. Before I even had a practice with the basketball team in college, I told the coach I couldn't and wouldn't play for him..I never told him why..but the reason is..It really took all my time..I would worry so much about the games, the practices, and realized it was NOTHING. Allah (swt) is everything. This Dunya is nothing at all.

Looking back now..It brings me to tears thinking of all that time I dedicated to basketball I could've been dedicating to Islam.

My parents always told me this..but I never listened...but alhamdulilah now I can say for the first time in my life I'm a muslim, and I feel it.

I hope all that made sense..I really dont feel like proof reading lol..
salaam


*edit* I just wanted to add..I dont think sports are bad..but you should play them to an extent..dont' let them take over your life..like these kaffirs do..they use sports as a reason to live...We know as muslims Allah is the reason to live...Play sports to have fun..but Deen should be number 1 in your life..

[salahuddin]

i understand what your saying about moral footballers, but at the end of the day most of them are kafir with bucketloads of money. should our muslim youth really be trying to imitate them? by taking them as an example what we are really doing is admiring them. and admiration leads to following them. As muslims should we really be following them???????

I'm not saying we should follow them, or their examples, but there were a couple of posts earlier in this thread that made unfair generalisations about all footballers. There are positive aspects to football, and other sports, and we need to recognise what these are. Likewise we need to accept that some footballers are decent, upright people with praiseworthy actions and beliefs (not all footballers are non-believers). Making blanket statements about such things can be dangerous and counter-productive.

It's not just the muslim youth that we should be worried about when it comes to having inappropriate role models!