A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, June 16, 2014

I'm Betting This Will Be Ignored: Salafi Says Not to Watch World Cup

 Egypt failed to qualify for the World Cup this year, but nevertheless I don't think this will fly: via Egypt Independent,  "Salafi leader Borhamy forbids Watching World Cup matches." 
Vice-Chief of the Salafi Dawa Yasser Borhamy has issued a religious edict, saying that Muslims are forbidden from watching football matches in the World Cup as it could be seen as admiring disbelievers.
In his edict posted on Ana Salafi, the official website of the Salafi Dawa, Borhamy said, “the World Cup matches distract Muslims from performing their [religious] duties. They include forbidden things that could break the fast in Ramadan as well as others forbidden in Islam like intolerance and wasting time. Football lovers like disbelievers of foreign teams’ players and others, which is rejected.”
Borhamy also called on football lovers to focus on their religion and stay away from such forbidden things.
This is the Deputy Chief of the Salafi Da‘wa Movement, the organization behind the Nour Party.

1 comment:

Junoon said...

"...as well as others forbidden in Islam like intolerance"

I think the concept of tolerance might be understood slightly differently in Salafism than everywhere else.