Soccer Fatwas

Sheik Al-Munajid: Soccer, as a sport, is permitted, as long as the Islamic rules are observed. Islamic law has no objection to people kicking balls around and scoring a goal in a designated place, or with the players cooperating with one another during the game in order to reach the goal. This is true as long as religious law isn't violated - for example, if it prevents prayer. Sometimes people remain on the soccer field from before afternoon prayer until after evening prayer, and they miss the prayers.

Interviewer: Yes, this sometimes happens.

Sheik Al-Munajid: Second, revealing one's nakedness - and the thigh is part of one's nakedness… The Prophet made this clear when he said: "Oh Jurhoud, cover your thighs, because they are part of your nakedness." Third, all the gambling that takes place… When a team wins, all the "you pay me and you pay him" begins… The gambling is even organized by international companies. Fourth, the fans' support for teams reaches blows, both within the field and outside it, in schools, and other places, and this is a reason for divorce and various social tragedies. Fifth, intentional rough play… They always bring gurneys and ambulances onto the field…Besides, in soccer there is a lot of cheating and all that…

Interviewer: Also, a lot of money is wasted on it, while there are much worthier causes…

Sheik Munajid: Of course, the waste of money, no doubt. And sometimes there are other things. You see some of them cross themselves when they score a goal, or imitate the infidels with certain dances. I've been told that some players around the world have specific dances and some of the Muslim players imitate these dances and sometimes put forbidden things on their chests.

Participating in sports activities is important. Women want to be shapely and fit, and this is there right. Who cares if they are called Swedish exercises, or Japanese exercises…? So long as a woman performs these exercises in an Islamic legal manner, we don’t care what they are called. After all, she performs them at home. When do the problems begin? When women wear those outfits, which are tight-fitting, short, and so on. They go to public places and general stadiums. Some want women to participate in the Olympics! There is no doubt, and no Muslim would disagree, that women are not allowed to participate in the Olympics in full view, because this means exposing her nakedness.

Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid Warns against Watching World Cup: Half-Naked Women Watching an Inflated Piece of Leather Flying between Three Wooden Beams

Following are excerpts from an interview with Saudi cleric Muhammad Al-Munajid, which aired on Al-Majd TV on June 1, 2006.

Muhammad Munajid: We are following in the footsteps of East and West when it comes to recreation. Whatever field they open to us - we enter. If the West has managed to captivate the hearts of most of the human race with an inflated piece of leather flying between three wooden beams, we Muslims must be completely aware of the state of the Islamic nation, and what they have in store for it.

The cameras at the soccer fields will zoom in on many things, including women, who will not be wearing veils, of course, and will be half naked in many cases.

Some of the fans paint their faces with strange colors... Some of them look like demons, with their faces covered in dust, charcoal, and smoke. They use green, red, and yellow coal. They dye their hair, and paint maps... One shaves his head, another leaves a little bit here, and a third paints the map of his country...

The devil has turned these people into fools, and made them change the way God created them, with all the things they are doing, which also cost a lot of money. Some of them even get tattoos of this...

Interviewer: That is unbelievable.

Muhammad Munajid: A woman who works for Conta Optic wore a lens shaped like a soccer ball in her left eye, and a lens with the colors of the German flag in her right eye. I rest my case.

Saudi Cleric Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: People Who Watch the World Cup Will Have to Answer on Judgment Day

Following are excerpts from an interview with Saudi cleric Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar, aired on Al-Majd TV on June 4, 2006:

Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: With regard to the World Cup... Let me ask you, Brother Muhammad... May Allah protect your daughter and sons, but imagine that you are about to undergo a surgical operation, and they tell you the doctor is late because he is watching the game. How would you feel?

Interviewer: Undoubtedly, very bad.

Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: OK, imagine that while paying a condolence call, one of the people gets up and turns on the TV to watch the game, and he begins to clap his hands?

Interviewer: No doubt, this is bad.

Interviewer: Our brothers are being killed in all corners of the world, yet we sit down to watch the World Cup? You know how our sons used to admire one of the great players. You know how our sons used to admire him. He came as a guest to a certain Saudi city. He was hosted by one of the soccer clubs. They imitated him in everything, including his earring. Someone asked a young man: "Why are you wearing an earring?" He answered: "Because that player wears one." He said to him: "But he wears it on his left ear," so the young man moved it to his left ear. Do you know what became of this player? He became a drug addict, despite being an international player, and he began to visit the so-called Wailing Wall in Israel. This is the man admired by our sons, I'm sad to say. During the last World Cup, while the call for prayer was being aired on TV... the TV that was broadcasting the game announced: "We will now broadcast the call for prayer." The ball was really close to the goal at that moment, and one guy got up and cursed the muazzin. I am saying to the fathers, to the mothers, and to the people who watch these games: On Judgment Day, a page in the book will be opened for you, and it will say that you sat and watched the games. Will this make you happy or miserable? Will this make you happy on Judgment Day, when you face Allah, or will you wish you had never watched these games?