5 - 6 Muslim Nations in the FIFA World Cup

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

Assalaam u 'Alaikum

Of the 24 teams in the FIFA Soccer World Cup, about 5-6 are Muslim - I’ll explain later why it 's 5-6) .

** Saudi - Arabia

Senegal

Turkey

Tunisia

Nigeria **

These make up 5 Nations. But we also have Cameroon.

** Cameroon ** - If I remember correctly, according to one Western Source, Cameroon is officially 21% Muslim. But, as is the case with some other African nations (like Ethiopia and Mozambique), Muslim populations are grossly under-represented. According to one Muslim source, (islamicweb.com) ** Muslim ** percentage in ** Cameroon ** is about ** 55% ** .

So, “officially” Cameroon is a Kafir-Nation, while unofficially it can be considered as a Muslim nation. I suspect, (as in some other African nations), Christians are more influential and in authority in Cameroon. So, it depends on you, whether you consider it as a Muslim nation or a Kafir nation.

Saudi-Arabia is in the “Death Group” - along with Germany, Cameroon and Ireland.

Let’s hope the Saudis make it to the quarter finals. Aameen.

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Mods, please do not move it to the Sports section, since it has a religious flavor to it.

2

I don’t know why you are trying to give the World Cup a religious flavor. Well now that u have, for your information, most (more than 80%) of the Nigerian players are christians!!!, and if you wanna count Cameroon as a Muslim country, NONE of their players are Muslims!

Secondly there are not 24, but 32 teams in the World Cup, and thirdly Saudi Arabia is not in the group of death, the Group F is termed as the Group of Death which comprises of Argentina, England, Sweden and Nigeria.

And why do u hope the Saudis make it only to the quarter finals???..why not the final!!!
I personally think they stink!

well mods u can move this to the sports section since I have given it a non religious flavor!

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/smile.gif

I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work… I want to achieve it through not dying.

3

As long as certain Muslims continue to define themselves as "Muslim Nations" and all others as "Kafir Nations", they perpetuate the Muslim vs. the rest of the world sterotype.

Stop defining yourselves as "Muslim Nations" already. If I had read somewhere "20 Christian Nations in the World Cup", I would find it equally offensive and irrational.

4

Yeah, I agree, it shouldnt be given a religious fervour... I mean if you think Muslims need to win this world cup, then our Pakistani team also NEEDS to be that good to make it in the world of soccer...

Sadly, we muslims are lagging behind in many areas... We should realize that its hard work and dedication that would get us somewhere, not just "Just becoz im a muslim, Im on top of the world"

5

How Islamic is Saudi Arabia anyways? Or Nigeria?

I think we should just support the teams that have a record of trying to improve themselves - players that are working hard regardless of which country they belong to.

Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest ~ XIII.28

6

How come I'm not surprised at all,my friend why not just confined yourself to shia bashing only!
Once again you proved your ignorance and limited knowledge..

7

Akhee i'm still waiting for the 'religious flavor' of this thread. Jazak'Allahu Khairun.

Allahu Alim

'Rabbee zidnee`ilmaa'
My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.[20:114]

The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever sets out on a path to seek knowledge, Allaah will make easy his path to Paradise."
[Saheeh Muslim]

8

I heard it is against Islam to play football or anything else in 'shorts'. Even gfor males.

Is it true?

9

**

I have not. There’s a difference between the World cup, and a specific thread in gupshup. You seem to be getting too excited

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/biggrin.gif

**

I’ve not done any statistical calculations. But you seem to be going with the opinion that anyone with an English name is a Christian. Well, guess what, they could be Muslims too (I suggest you read newspapers a little bit more attentively).

Anyways, even if 80% of the players are Christians, how does that change Nigeria’s status as a predominantly (over 60%) Muslim nation ? As in many other African nations, I’d expect that Christians have more previleges than the Muslims.

Again you are getting too excited

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/biggrin.gif

(you said “NONE” in caps!)

Consider this player of ** Cameroon ** :

1 ** Boukar Alioum ( Baaqar Ali**oum ? )

Or Maybe this one :

22 ** Idriss ** Carlos Kameni ( Now, I don’t know about his religion, I"ll have to ask my African friend about him, but probably you’ll agree “Idrees” is Arabic).

Ok I made a mistake, 4 * 8 = 32 , not 24 . But why are you getting so excited ?

It was just an expression I used subconsciously. If you didn’t get it, I meant to say that the group in which Saudi Arabia is , is not an easy one. The word “Death” can be used as an ** expression ** too .

too bad.

Please elaborate on your “non-religious flavor” .

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[quote]
Originally posted by Nadia_H:
*How Islamic is Saudi Arabia anyways? Or Nigeria? *
[/quote]

First of all, I said ** "Muslim" **, NOT "Islamic".

Even if a nation is not "Islamic" but "Muslim" (like Pakistan), we'd still have some "emotional attachment" to it.

I think it's very improper to think that if you are a better a Muslim than someone else, you shouldn't support him or identify with him.

Muslims around the world are our brothers and sisters. We love them anyways.

[quote]

I think we should just support the teams that have a record of trying to improve themselves - players that are working hard regardless of which country they belong to.

[/quote]

I'm not sure why you mentioned this, I never asked anyone to not support a good team just because it does not belong to your religion.

However, is it wrong to support a team that belongs to your religion ? If there's a match between Israel and Palestine, whom would you support ?

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Ufffff…Itni nafrat Sherrybaba ???

Aap ko chull is baat ki ho rahi hai nay kay there’s not a single Shia nation in the World cup ???

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/biggrin.gif

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/biggrin.gif

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**I think it’s very improper to think that if you are a better a Muslim than someone else, you shouldn’t support him or identify with him. **
Khoon e Shaheed, Not for a second do I believe that I am a better Muslim than anyone else. God Protect me from ever being that arrogant Insha’Allah.

The reason that I would not support Saudi Arabia or the other countries mentioned is simply because I do not agree with their foreign and domestic policies. This is highly subjective and I realize I could be wrong in my interpretation of their policies. If a Muslim wants to support these countries in the World Cup (as most of my family members do), then that is their decision; whether or not it is “right”, I admit, is beyond my limited comprehension. All I know is that my World Cup loyalties lie elsewhere.

However, is it wrong to support a team that belongs to your religion ?
No it’s not wrong at all.
However, the moment I support Saudi Arabia in the World Cup (or in any other sports tournament) will be the moment when it begins to act Islamic - when the SA govt. begins to treat the millions of labourers on its soil as human beings with rights; when it stops turning a blind eye to the abuse of Phillipino domestic workers; when it stops kidnapping Pakistani boys to serve as camel jockeys for the pleasure of Saudi sheikhs, and when the millions of Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Pakistani construction workers are treated better than filth.
The Saudi Arabian (and many other Muslim) govts. - despite swimming in billions of petrodollars - don’t seem to be doing much for their Palestinian sisters and brothers. They seem to be excellent at negotiating lucrative oil contracts with, and purchasing arms from, western countries but when it comes to supporting Palestine - how many of them have gone beyond rhetoric?

**If there’s a match between Israel and Palestine, whom would you support ? **
Palestine is vastly different than Saudi Arabia, Turkey or Nigeria - for one thing Palestine is under an illegal occupation and its people have been stripped of many of their basic rights for more than the past three decades. The Israeli govt. is one of the worst violators of human rights in the world. Under these circumstances, my heart would ALWAYS support Palestine and their people. But to equate Palestine with Saudi Arabia, in my opinion, is rather misleading.

I have nothing against anyone who wishes to support those countries mentioned, but under the present political circumstances I would rather cheer South Africa than Saudi Arabia. I could be wrong and if I am, then I sincerely apologize. To each her/his own

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/flower1.gif

[This message has been edited by Nadia_H (edited June 04, 2002).]

13

shukar hey koyi shia nation nahee hey..Tumhara Suadi nay bara kamal kar liya “0-8” ab to zaroor “quarter” finals mein hoga..

http://www3.pak.org/gupshup/smilies/hehe.gif

khair now you can pray for yer nigerian muslim brothers hheh..tum aur tumharay facts..

14

[quote]
Not for a second do I believe that I am a better Muslim than anyone else. God Protect me from ever being that arrogant Insha'Allah.
[/quote]

How Islamic is Saudi Arabia anyways? Or Nigeria?

This statement sure makes one think so.

[quote]
The reason that I would not support Saudi Arabia or the other countries mentioned is simply because I do not agree with their foreign and domestic policies. This is highly subjective and I realize I could be wrong in my interpretation of their policies.
[/quote]

You finally got it, don't always believe what your 'Khaloos friend who once worked in Saudi Arabia' said.

[This message has been edited by Wadi (edited June 04, 2002).]

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[This message has been edited by Dil he Pakistani (edited June 04, 2002).]