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| Arabia |
| Fatwa told football players to join al-Qaeda |
| 2005-08-25 |
| The decision of three footballers from a team in the Saudi city of Taif near Mecca to join al-Qaeda was prompted by a fatwa, or religious edict, condemning the game, the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan reports. Earlier this week the paper interviewed the captain of the team and father of one of the footballers, who was arrested while trying to carry out a suicide attack. Now Majid Sawat, Tamer Al-Thamali and Dayf Allah Al-Harithi's team-mates have revealed that the three were influenced by the fatwa, which banned Muslims from playing. Sawat's father confirmed that he is currently being held in Mosul prison. However, his two companions, Tamer al-Thamali and Dayf Allah al-Harithi, are reported to have completed their suicide 'missions'. The Islamic decree was signed by a group of fundamentalist ulema and issued over the Internet on 12 June 2002, months before the three went to Iraq. The edict said Muslims were not allowed to play football unless they abided by certain conditions, such as always being fully covered when they play, as shorts are considered Western clothing which does not cover enough of the body. They were also banned from using foreign words like 'corner' and 'out', as well as being forbidden from using the rules of the international football federations, such as those which govern the size of the pitch and the need to play with a team of 11. The fatwa also bans the use of a referee. The team mates of the three believe they were brain-washed by integralist imams. Team captain Jafar Attas told Al-Watan the three footballers met up with others every Wednesday and Thursday to carry out religious activities. Commenting on the fatwa claims, Abdel Muhsin Al-Abikani, a legal advisor to the Saudi justice ministry, told the newspaper that the edict issued over the Internet was wrong, as Islam does not ban the use of foreign words, and the Prophet Mohammad himself used them during his life. According to Al-Abikani there is nothing to stop footballers following international rules, so long as they are in accordance with Sharia Islamic law. In terms of how to dress while playing, he added that it was necessary to wear knee-length shorts, in order to stay in line with Islamic dress code for men. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |