بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Introduction
Alḥamdulillāh, Allāh Taʿālā has blessed us in ways beyond enumeration. Allāh Taʿālā says: “If you were to count Allāh’s bounties, you will not be able to enumerate them.”[1]
The greatest of these bounties is ʾĪmān. After blessing us with ʾĪmān, He blessed us with good health, wealth, safety, security, and time among countless other bounties. As Muslims, it is our duty to express our gratitude for these bounties. Allāh Taʿālā also says: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour]; but if you are ungrateful, indeed, My punishment is severe.”[2] Gratitude is not restricted to simply verbally saying: ‘Alḥamdulillāh’. Rather, gratitude entails being obedient to Allāh Taʿālā by utilizing these bounties in the manner He commands us to and the manner He loves. Conversely, if these bounties are misused and wasted in the disobedience of Allāh Taʿālā and in a manner which displeases Him, then this is indeed, ingratitude.
Living as a Muslim means doing everything Allāh Taʿālā has commanded us to do and staying away from everything He has prohibited. The laws of Allāh Taʿālā take precedence in all aspects of our lives including our social and cultural affairs. If any aspect of our culture remains within the boundaries of the Sharīʿah, then we may have our fair share. However, if it contradicts the Sharīʿah, then it is imperative for us and our families to refrain from participating. The Sharīʿah remains the yardstick in determining whether or not we should be involved in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.
Those who have never been to such an event should ask those who have been and those who have been should ask themselves if the environment is one befitting for a Muslim to be part of.
Vices Prevalent at the T20 World Cup
The objective of such events is nothing but entertainment. Coupled with the cricket match, which itself is amusement and play, the stadium buzzes with many immoral activities immersing the fans in vices which appeal to their lowly desires for the duration of 3-4 hours or even longer.
How can a Muslim of sound intellect ever consider spending his precious night(s) in an environment prepared solely to accommodate immoralities of the highest order? An environment with drunkards at every turn of the head, half-naked women dancing and screaming at every ‘four’, ‘six’, or ‘wicket’ not to mention the scantily clad cheerleaders right before his eyes to seize his attention even if he was attempting to only focus on the cricket. Is it possible for a Muslim who attends to escape from all these vices and the blaring music which gnaws away at his ʾĪmān and sows the seeds of hypocrisy one beat at a time?
Vile Company
It is not befitting for any Muslim, whether young or old, male or female, to attend such an event and expose themselves to such filthy environments which endanger one’s ʾĪmān and incur the wrath of Allāh. Parents should also exercise extreme caution in ensuring that their children are not exposed to such disgusting environments just as they would stop them from attending the parties and festivals of the non-believers. Exposing our children to such a vile environment will have an extremely detrimental effect on their ʾĪmān especially in these trying times. The famous ḥadīth regarding the perfume merchant and the blacksmith is sufficient to reject the guilty claim, “I only go to watch cricket.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The example of a good companion and an evil companion is like that of a seller of musk (perfume) and one who blows the bellows (i.e., a blacksmith). One who sells musk will give you some, you may purchase some from him or you will at least inhale good fragrance by being with him. As for the one who blows the bellows, he will either burn your clothes, or you will inhale a foul smell by being with him.”[3] The adverse effects which such obscene environments can have on a person’s spirituality are inevitable and cannot be denied.
Wealth is A Blessing
Money, which Allāh Taʿālā has so kindly blessed us with is thoughtlessly thrown into these satanic events in support of our very own enemies by purchasing gameday tickets instead of spending it in a way most pleasing to Allāh Taʿālā by feeding the hungry and/or supporting those upholding and defending Islām. Those who travel abroad to attend will be forced to splurge even more money on plane tickets, accommodation, etc. Bear in mind that on the Day of Judgement, one will be held accountable for every cent spent. Allāh Taʿālā says: “Verily, spendthrifts are the brethren of satans, and Satan is ungrateful to his Lord.”
Time is a Blessing
Time is another bounty which we will be questioned for. The time of a believer is far too valuable to waste in such futile activities which do not benefit one’s dunyā nor ʾākhirah. There are many benefits in ‘playing’ sports in moderation. They maintain good health, serve as forms of exercise, stress relievers and combat training. However, we gain nothing but wasted time and sin by attending such events where sin is the order of the day. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “The feet of a person will not move (on the day of Qiyāmah) until he is asked about his life (time) and how he spent it, … about his wealth and from where he acquired it and where he spent it …”[4]
Allāh Taʿālā warns: “This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.”[5] Let us live for the latter.
Counter Evil with Good
This sporting event is a hub of sin and disobedience. As Muslims, our time, wealth and energy should be invested in countering the evil effects that such sins on a mass scale will bring to our beautiful island. We should engross ourselves in abundant nafl (voluntary) ṣalāhs, nafl fasts, tilāwah of the Qurʾān Majīd, Dhikr and all other efforts of our Pure Dīn. In South Africa, when they hosted the World Cup, the ʿulamāʾ and tablīghī brothers increased their efforts and took out many jamāts in the path of Allāh Taʿālā to counter the vices associated with such filthy events. May Allāh Taʿālā grant us a similar understanding and allow us to practise upon it. Āmīn.
Ten Blessed Nights, Ḥajj Season, ʿArafah
Furthermore, the ten blessed nights of the sacred month of Dhul Ḥijjah, which Allāh Taʿālā swore on in the Qurʾān Majīd,[6] begins in June and we are supposed to fast and increase our ʿibādah in them. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allāh than in these (ten) days.”[7] The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) used to fast the first nine days of Dhul-Ḥijjah.[8] Thereafter, the next five are the Days of Ḥajj, ʿArafah being the day Satan is humiliated the most.[9] So how can we try to make him happy here?
Support Good Not Evil
We should at least save ourselves from being part of the group of Kuffār who blatantly disobey Allāh’s commands and attract His displeasure. Consider the following narration: “Whoever increases the number of a people, he is one of them.”[10] When our Muslim brothers and sisters are being slaughtered in Gaza, how can we entertain ourselves in this totally un-Islāmic atmosphere? How can we be assured that death is not waiting to seize us in such a filthy environment?
May Allāh Taʿālā protect us from misusing the bounties He has blessed us with, and may He grant us the tawfīq to sacrifice our love for sports and say ‘no’ to events such as the T20 World Cup where such vices are rampant. Āmīn.
[1] An-Nahl:18
[2] ʾIbrāhīm: 7
[3] Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī #2101
[4] Tirmidhī #2417. He graded it authentic.
[5] Al–Ankabūt: 64
[6] Al–Fajr: 2
[7] Abū Dāwūd #2438
[8] Abū Dāwūd #2437
[9] Muwaṭṭā #254
[10] Musnad Abū Yaʿlā, See: Al-Maṭālibul ʿĀliyah #1660, Al-Zuhd by Ibnul Mubārak #42 Pg.447