The pattern of conversion to Islam by Islamists is not limited to clerics; it also extends to sports, particularly in cricket and football. There have been numerous instances where cricketers or footballers have used sports to express their religious beliefs and promote the idea of Jihad. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in Pakistan, where some players prioritise showcasing their loyalty to their faith over the sport itself.
The influence of religion in cricket is evident in various ways. Some players openly endorse Islamic principles and call for a unification under these beliefs. They often use their popularity and the widespread appeal of cricket to disseminate their religious views, thereby reaching a large audience. This blending of sports and religious advocacy raises questions about the role of athletes and entertainers in promoting personal beliefs versus their professional responsibilities. In Pakistan, the intertwining of religion with cricket has sparked debates about the appropriate boundaries between personal faith and public life. While expressing religious beliefs is a personal right, the use of influential platforms like cricket to endorse specific ideologies can be contentious.
It shows how faith, fame, and influence mix in today’s sports and entertainment, where some cricketers will go to any extent to promote Islam and their agenda, even if it means ignoring sportsmanship spirit. These issues are highlighted through several notable case studies, demonstrating how individual cricketers have actively engaged in promoting their religious beliefs, sometimes even at the expense of their professional duties and sportsmanship. Each case provides a clear example of how faith, fame, and influence intersect within the realm of cricket, particularly in the Islamic republic of Pakistan.
Forcing Lankan Player to Convert
On August 30, 2014, during the 3rd ODI match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in the island nation, Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad attempted to convert Sri Lankan legend TM Dilshan to Islam. A 21-second video of the incident went viral on social media, showing Shehzad saying, “If you are a non-Muslim and you turn Muslim, no matter whatever you do in your life, you go straight to heaven.” Dilshan appeared to ignore Shehzad’s comments, but when he finally responded, Shehzad warned him, “Then be ready for the (Hell) fire.” Notably, after his international debut in 1999, Dilshan dropped his Muslim name, Tuwan Mohamed Dilshan, and adopted his mother’s Sinhalese-Buddhist identity as Tillakaratne Mudiyanselage Dilshan.
Creating Curiosity About Islam
Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Rizwan is a fervent advocate of spreading Islam. During the 2021 T20 World Cup, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, who was appointed as the Batting Coach for the Pakistan team, revealed that Rizwan gifted him an English version of the Quran. Hayden described it as a memorable moment, expressing curiosity about Islam despite being a Christian. Rizwan is known for taking time out of his cricket schedule to preach Islam in mosques and madrasas, with several videos of him doing so going viral.
Pak Cricketers & Islamic Preaching
Many retired Pakistani cricketers, such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Mohammad Yusuf, and Saqlain Mushtaq, have taken to Islamic preaching. Despite their continued involvement in cricket, they regularly conduct sessions to teach Islamic scriptures. Inzamam-ul-Haq, on a Pakistani news show, mentioned that Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh attended sermons by Maulana Tariq Jameel and showed interest in converting to Islam. Inzamam also recounted inviting Indian players Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, and Mohammad Kaif to prayer sessions. It is pertinent to note that the Pakistani team’s dressing room has always been a fertile ground for conversion and popularising Jihad. Once Inzamam-ul-Haq had narrated how he and another former Pakistani cricketer Yousaf Yohana had given “deen ki dawat” (invitation to accept Islam) to legendary West Indies cricketer Brian Lara. It clearly shows their attempt to convert non-Muslim players to Islam as well as their hatred for other religions.
Qatar used FIFA World Cup as a tool for da’wah, books in different languages explaining Islam and Mohammed were distributed among the visitors to influence them about the Islamic faith
In 2017, West Indian cricketer Darren Sammy became a well-known figure in Pakistan, particularly after he overcame various challenges and apprehensions to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Lahore.After leading his team, Peshawar Zalmi, to a title victory in the PSL, Sammy remained a prominent figure in the Pakistani media. Reports suggested that Sammy might have converted to Islam, drawing inspiration from the religion during his recent stay in Pakistan. Javed Afridi, owner of Peshawar Zalmi, also asked fans to pray for Sammy’s conversion to Islam.
Former Pakistani cricketer Danish Kaneria claimed that ex-captain Shahid Afridi forced him to convert to Islam. Kaneria, one of the few Hindu players to represent Pakistan, played 61 Test matches and took 360 wickets.
FIFA World Cup 2022: Conversion and Controversy
The FIFA World Cup 2022 which was held in Qatar was used as an instrument to convert people to Islam. The Islamic nation Qatar took full advantage of the World Cup to reach out to the hundreds of thousands of visiting fans to change minds about Islam or even make conversions.
The Qatar Guest Center, which supervises the Blue Mosque, had brought dozens of Muslim preachers from around the world to Qatar for the tournament. Outside the mosque there were booklets in different languages explaining Islam and Mohammed, along with Arabic coffee and dates to influence the tourists.
Football or Da’wah?
Football, like cricket, has seen many players convert to Islam. This trend is notable among numerous footballers globally who have converted to Islam, often influenced by Muslim teammates, their girlfriends, or in the hope of curing their illnesses. Spanish football star Jose Ignacio (Jota) Peleteiro is the latest addition to many footballers around the world who converted to Islam. According to the report, Pelletrio, who plays for Spanish football club Eibar, British football club Brentford and Birmingham City, announced in the video that he has become a Muslim. Pelletrio converted to Islam after learning about the religion from his friend of 11 years, former Kuwaiti footballer Faisal Boresli.
Arsenal star, Thomas Partey converted to Islam in 2022. He revealed that he had converted to Islam because of his Moroccan girlfriend Sara Bella. In addition, former Mali international Frederic Canute converted to Islam in 1999 while playing in France. In 2020, he raised more than a million dollars to build the first mosque in Seville in 700 years. French star Paul Pogba of Manchester United converted to Islam. In 2017, he performed Haj. His another French teammate Nicolas Anelka also converted to Islam at the age of sixteen. He named himself Abdul Salim Bilal.
Syrian volunteer Ziad Fateh said the World Cup is “an opportunity to introduce millions of people to Islam”. Some Muslim leaders in Qatar had called for efforts to convert visiting football fans to Islam.
A Good Samaritan of BBC and The Guardian, Majid Freeman claimed that over 500 people (tourists visiting Qatar to watch FIFA World Cup 2022) have converted to Islam. Interestingly, the host country had imposed Islamic rules of not showing skin during the World Cup. Women faced restrictions and discrimination. Even players were not allowed to remove their T-shirts, a common practice in a game of stamina like football. The controversial Islamic preacher, facing charges of promoting Islamic terrorism, conversion and money laundering in India, Zakir Naik, who earlier had declared ‘professional football to be Haram’ as per Islam, delivered his sermons to the fans on the sidelines of football.
Conclusion
Sports serve as a platform to unite everyone, where religion, colour, caste, and creed do not matter. However, the intention of some Islamists is solely to convert others. Their focus on conversion degrades the true spirit of sportsmanship. It is now time for non-Muslims to stay vigilant against these deceptive tactics and safeguard the inclusive and unifying nature of sports. n
