pointless

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edited mid afternoon to add more news stories.

I know pointless rioting and violence when I see it.  I graduated from the school famous for the Halloween riots and experienced a halloween or 2 on state street.  And we Wisconsinites take our american (cof cof real) football pretty darn seriously.   It isn’t uncommon for the priest or pastor to include the Packers in their prayers at Sunday services, even if in a (semi) joking manner.  And we don’t take kindly to people messing with our team.  Witness the loathing and hatred of the traitor, Brett Favre.  Once a saint, now a Judas.  I will admit that whenever I see a purple #4 jersey, my hackles are raised and I get this urge to throw paint on it.  But, somehow I manage to restrain myself

 

But none of that compares to the loathing Egyptians and Algerians are displaying towards one another at present.  I first became aware of this problem when AbuS started yelling at the computer in a mix of english and arabic this last week, and then go on long rants about the stupidity of people rioting over football.  Apparently Egypt beat Algeria in soccer, and they’re a wee bit miffed.  Ok, I can understand that, right, I mean we here in america riot on occasion over frivolous things.

Oh no, it’s much worse than that:

According to what AbuS has read in the arab language press, Egyptians are fleeing Algeria over death threats and violence.  This is over football people.  A game!   Yes, there are underlying issues, but come on.

Of course, we could just examine the sunnah of the Prophet (saws) and read about when one sahaba beat another sahaba in a wrestling tournament, and then both guys brought their crews to brawl outside the masjid after jummah prayer…oh no wait, that didn’t happen?  You mean the sunnah of our beloved Prophet (saws) is to play sports to benefit ourselves and the ummah, and not to take it too seriously?  You don’t say, imagine that – the sunnah is to act rational.  So why is it so hard for muslims to follow it?

A relevant verse, both for the coming hajj and the situation of the muslim ummah:

O you who believe! do not violate the signs appointed by Allah nor the sacred month, nor (interfere with) the offerings, nor the sacrificial animals with garlands, nor those going to the sacred house seeking the grace and pleasure of their Lord; and when you are free from the obligations of the pilgrimage, then hunt, and let not hatred of a people– because they hindered you from the Sacred Masjid– incite you to exceed the limits, and help one another in goodness and piety, and do not help one another in sin and aggression; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in requiting (evil). (5:2)

Is it really too much to ask that muslims read, understand and follow our religion?

4 thoughts on “pointless”

  1. As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,

    That is simply disgusting, that two groups, particularly of Muslims, are killing each other over football. Then again, football (soccer that is) is designed to raise adrenaline and people get angry over fouls and other matters, and even spectators at home scream at the telly the whole time. The rules are obscure and it all depends on the judgement of a referee who might not see what’s going on because he doesn’t have eyes everywhere (e.g. the infamous “hand of God” incident in 1986). I hate the whole wretched game and wish it wasn’t as popular as it is, and am usually relieved when England get knocked out of any international tournament, which is when others start wringing their hands (basically, we don’t invest in the game, unlike Germany, and nobody is poor enough that football becomes a way out, unlike in Brazil, hence our teams are full of foreign players and managers). I recently made a comment about this here (first comment).

    Rugby is quite popular here too, and it is notorious for its rough play and its trail of busted spinal cords, but at least the young men that get paralysed (like the guy who runs this website) are players and not bystanders, or people who happen to be from the same town or country as whatever team has caused some offence (such as by beating the home team). Football in the UK has a history of organised violence and racism. It may be because it doesn’t have the mass appeal of mainstream football, but I’ve never heard of a riot over rugby.

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  2. wa alaikum assalam,

    Ah, I had not thought about the famous english football hooliganism. I suppose when one feels a lack in their life, they try to fill it with something, be it football or whatever. Too bad they don’t fill it with Allah (swt) instead.

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  3. C’mon UmmS, you are so hypocritical..remember how you felt when Favre became a Viking (something about turning over racks of jerseys)?

    LOL.

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