Re: Sajda.....
Being an ambassador isn’t a responsibility but more of an opportunity. I consider everyone who carries themselves cordially and respectably to be an ambassador of the religion… and I can’t help it because the religion gets a lot of bad rap… often at the hands of those who proclaim themselves to be archetypal Muslims – to the detriment of moderate folks like me and you.
I’m not saying it needs to be done one way or another, nor that I support public display of sajdahs... I'd probably come home and pray two nafils if it was me in their place. But let’s not impose our own preferences on others… religion is something personal… so let them express themselves in whatever way they deem appropriate.
As far as expressing oneself after big versus small successes, again, who are we to judge what’s big and what’s small in the context of every person? Someone who’s blessed with success may not think too much of additional “ meager” achievements while to another less fortunate person it might not be meager after all. Again, why not let them articulate in whatever way they want. Last I checked, they weren’t offending or hurting anyone with their statements, and that’s what freedom of expression is all about.
I guess we can agree to disagree … to me, the moment you put the Pakistani uniform on, you have only one obligation and that is to your country. You are responsible to evaluate your actions with 2 goals in your mind :
1)are my actions enhancing Pakistan brand or diluting it?
2)how can my actions - individually or collectively - help Pakistan winning?
And all I am saying that the Pakistani team has taken a combined approach to put religion on their sleeves (excessive sajdas, reciting quarn, bismillah etc.) ... and by the way it is a collective and calculated approach started by Waqar , enhanced by inzi and yoyo and since then followed by every Pakistani team and by doing so, they are coming short on both aforementioned goals .
First in today’s world where the social media has brought so many cultures together and the world has literally become a global village, exhibiting unnecessary religiosity and that too on a collective basis in a sport as national heroes sends wrong message and most importantly labels Pakistani brand in a certain way especially when no other group/country does that. Second, it definitely impacts team’s harmony… religious players vs non-religious players....minority players feeling out of space and the list can go on etc. and top of that same players are involved in many amoral activities.....
It is not a personal issue or a freedom of expression issue as i see it. yes the moment the match finishes and you take your uniform off, please do whatever you want to do... absolutely at that point it is a personal matter but not on the ground.
