Soccer matches during Ramadaan
Question:-
Every year during the blessed month of Ramadhaan, a Muslim sports club organizes a tournament called, “The “Ramadhaan League”, which takes place after Taraweeh on Fridays and Saturdays. This so called “league” is organized on the theme of keeping the community united (Allah guide us). It is witnessed by many individuals that these soccer games involve a lot of quarrels, vulgar language, insulting remarks; you name it and it’s there.
The Huffaz that lead taraweeh, the only thought that comes to their mind is about the upcoming game. Elder uncles and a lot of Ulama are also involved. These games go on into the early hours of the morning. People enjoy a braai and then go home. This results in them oversleeping and missing Suhoor. They miss their Tahajjud Salaah. Many spend the entire night in gossiping and making Gheebah of others at the club.
Can such tournaments be held in the blessed month of Ramadhaan?
What is the ruling of Shariah where vulgar language, quarrelling and the like thereof are involved?
Would Mufti Saheb kindly guide us?
Answer:-
The month of Ramadaan is indeed a great and auspicious month which is full of Barakah and blessings. The night of Qadr is more superior than a thousand months spent in Ibaadah. Furthermore, Allah Ta’ala has made it facile for the believers to engage in Ibaadat in this month, by chaining the rebellious Shayaateen.
All the optional (Nafl) actions carried out in one’s lifetime cannot equate to a single Fardh, whereas every Nafl in this month is equal to a Fardh, and the reward of a Fardh is multiplied by 70 Faraaidh. This month enjoys a special relationship with the Quraan Sharif as the Quraan Sharif was revealed in this month.
This is the month to strengthen our connection and relationship with Allah Ta’ala. Generally, a person is busy with his worldly activities during the year, thus Allah Ta’ala blessed us with this month to establish our connection with Him. It is for this reason that the Darul Ulooms close their doors during the month of Ramadaan, so that one’s time and energy can be channelled towards the Ibaadaat of Allah Ta’ala.
When Allah Ta’ala has blessed us with such a great month, how can we, as Muslims (and even Ulama), engage in futile activities such as Kuffar sports, which are not permissible even under normal circumstances? Allah Ta’ala instructs us in the Quraan Sharif not to incline to the ways of the Kuffar, yet we are engaged in their sports in the month of Allah. How can concentration and devotion be expected in that Taraweeh Salaah wherein the Imaam and followers are waiting to complete their Salaah, just so they are able to get onto the sports ground? Does such a Taraweeh even carry any spirituality in it, or is it merely carried out as a customary practice?
Our inclination towards Kuffar sports can be understood from the following example: an employer purchases food for his employee, clothes him, pays his salary, pays for his education, provides housing for him, pays his light and water bill every month and even gets him married. Perhaps we will never find such an employer! What will we say if the same employee (who has enjoyed so many bounties at the hand of his employer) rebels against the employer and supports his opposition? We will unanimously agree that that is the epitome of ingratitude. We enjoy the bounties of Allah Ta’ala every split second of our lives, yet we take enjoyment and pleasure from the enemies of Allah by engaging in their sports and forms of entertainment. We were supposed to have attained enjoyment through Salaah, Tilaawat, Zikrullah, serving the poor and needy, Umrah, Hajj, Qurbani etc.
You also state in your query that the sporting event is held in the name of unity, yet it causes the greatest amount of disunity resulting in quarrelling, insulting and vulgarity, all of which are prohibited and impermissible in Shariah. In such instances, instead of gaining closeness to Allah Ta’ala in the blessed month of Ramadaan, we are drifting further away from Allah Ta’ala due to such sins. Those that are unable to get their sins forgiven in the blessed month were cursed on the tongue of Jibraeel, upon which Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said ‘Ameen.’ Can there be any doubt in such a curse being accepted!
Some of the pious predecessors wouldn’t even eat in the month of Ramadaan. They would suffice on some black tea after Taraweeh Salaah. When advised by their attendants that they will become weak, they said, we are enjoying the bounties of Jannah in this world. Hence, we understand from the above that this is not a month of feasting, partying, participating in braais and merry-making.
Hadrat Hakim Akhtar Saheb Rahimahullah used to say that those passing time (in futile activities) during the month of Ramadaan are, in reality, failing time. Some of the pious predecessors used to tell their disciples on the last day of Shabaan that they will now only meet after Ramadaan. There was absolutely no time to engage in any conversation during Ramadaan. They wouldn’t even attend to the correspondence which they received in Ramadaan. There are people in this day and age too, that recite a complete Quraan Sharif daily. These are the people that have truly understood the true value of Ramadaan.
In conclusion, the month of Ramadaan is really not a time to engage in futile and useless activities such as sports and braais which might result in missing Tahajjud and Sehri. Some even miss their Fajr Salaah in this blessed month (Allah forbid!). Every second of this month is extremely valuable, hence Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam advised that we excessively engage in recitation of Kalimah Tayyibah, Istighfaar, asking for Jannah and seeking refuge from Jahannam. By engaging in these actions, there will remain no time for gossiping, backbiting, or engaging in any useless activity that will neither benefit us in Dunya nor in Aakhirah. The pious, after dedicating all their time and effort to the month of Ramadaan, used to seek forgiveness for six months after Ramadaan for their shortcomings and not spending the month correctly, whilst the subsequent six months used to be spent in preparation for the next Ramadaan. The senior Ulama in your country should openly speak against such impermissible sporting activities and instil within the Ummah the greatness of this month, so that all such activities are terminated. May Allah Ta’ala guide us all. Ameen!
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 25 Shabaan 1443 / 28 March 2022