In the sporting industry, we seldom see a Muslim sportsman with good character. It is even more uncommon for them to make it to the top and become famous. As an Ummah, we become overzealous when a Muslim becomes famous and favourable in the eyes of the west. To a certain extent, it is nice to see a positive story on Muslims in the mainstream media. However, often our overzealous attitude is a sign of our underlying inferiority complex, in that we admire some famous Muslims simply because they are admired by the west, or at the least, our admiration is influenced by the opinion of the western media.
Thus, when a Muslim succeeds in his sporting career, it gives us joy because we assume it to be a good representation of Islam. Since when did success in sports epitomise Islamic values? Sure, good character does but sporting success certainly doesn’t. Collectively as a community, we are not even half as joyous when a young person becomes an aalim/ah or haafiz/ah, or when any individual works on their faith. Those who encourage them and are truly pleased are few and far apart. Many maintain a complacent attitude. Some even discourage or demotivate them.
For example, how often are children looked down upon for studying Islamic studies rather than academic? Or a male considered silly for not taking out a mortgage with interest? Or a female considered strict for dressing according to the Sunnah? Or overall, a Muslim considered backwards for following Islam in general? Unfortunately, they are often demotivated by their own communities.
The sporting industry is filled with sins and vice like nudity, music and free mixing. If we saw two people disagree and begin fighting, we would attempt to break up their fight, even if they had a valid reason to disagree. We wouldn’t just sit back and enjoy the show. Yet some sports encourage fighting and causing injury for no reason. Blood is shed. Why do we sit back and enjoy that? In real life, that would be appalling. But in sports, it is applauded.
Even worse is that extra points are awarded for causing injury to the face. Nabi ﷺ prohibited hitting a person on the face, to such an extent that even lightly smacking a young child on the face is prohibited. But in a boxing ring, it is awarded. How can a seemingly good person engage in this sport? It is nothing but love for wealth and fame that causes one boxer to inflict injury upon another. Ironically, the same western world that orchestrated this considers Muslims violent.
Good character alone is praiseworthy but insufficient. In the era of Nabi ﷺ, some non-Muslims had good character but that alone does not please Allah. It has to be coupled with faith and righteous actions. The good character of a believer will draw him closer to Allah. But if he is committing a sin, that sin remains a sin. His good character does not make his sins acceptable. For example, the Sunnah instructs us to recite bismillah before drinking and drink in three sips. If a person follows this Sunnah while drinking alcohol, does that make drinking alcohol permissible? Does a Sunnah remove the impermissible nature of a haraam deed and somehow make it halal? Of course not. It would be a mockery to assume otherwise. Making dua and attributing success to Allah does not make nudity and free mixing acceptable.
Some assume and comment that we need these Muslims in the Ummah to give us a good image. But their good image is acquired through fame, which is acquired through a sport drenched in sins. There was a time when the Islam in Muslims was sufficient to give them a good image in the eyes of disbelievers. But today we seek a good image for our faith via sins. This method will never be successful.
Thus, as believers, we don’t look up to any specific sports or the involvement of Muslims within it. If someone leaves that career, we thank Allah for removing them from an open sin. In doing so, never look down on anyone either. Look down on sins for that is the only way we can avoid them and repent from them. As for the sinner, he may become a saint tomorrow but to acquire that, he too will have to look down on his sins first. Differentiate between the sin and the sinner. May Allah protect us all from sins and forgive us, aameen.
— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه اللّٰه
Above is an extract from Shaykh’s talk on 26/10/20 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full audio, please click here.
