http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/381473.html
Good blog by Osman Samiuddin that represents what Pakistani fans are feeling right now.
I commend England cricket team on resuming their tour of India and playing cricket in the aftermath of the Mumbai massacre. Cricket fans in India would certainly benefit from the healing power of soothing Test cricket involving their stars.
I just feel sorry for Pakistan for not getting the same pragmatic view from Australia and other countries that have refused to tour Pakistan for security reasons despite a security arrangement provided by Pakistan that is given to heads of state.
Let's face it, if terrorists can just amble in and go on a killing spree - and on top of that, gleefully look for "westerners" - in Mumbai, esp. after Indian intelligencia getting heads-up from American counterpart of an impending maritime attack, then how can you guarantee safety of anyone in India? I mean, if you are brave enough to play in India, where the authorities could not find bag full of explosives for days even after going on a high state of alert following the attacks, then you can just about play anywhere in the world!
It's Not Cricket! It's Hypocricket!
-- ARK
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
On Some of the Pakistani Players' priorities in the World Cup 2007
Article dated March 11, 2007 (Before Pakistan's loss to Irland on St. Patrick's Day!)
I love cricket and I love faith. But I keep them orthogonal to each other. So, I would say this: "We should have been able to win the World Cup 2007 AND keep our faith strong at the same time". We do NOT have to sacrifice one for the other - if we do it right. If fans mix the two, they are wrong. Likewise, if the players mix the two - they are wrong as well. I don't understand why players can't take criticism for being found guilty of mixing their profession with religion such that their performance/work is affected.
A player who loses focus on cricket and concentrates instead on preaching is doing injustice not only to his obligation as a professional worker but to his religious duties as well. Remember, professional players are WORKING for a living and are under contract when they play for their national side. They get paid to play cricket. It's their job. So, as soon as they finish their religious obligation (e.g. praying), they must go back to WORK whole heartedly. If they use their WORK time to, say, preach religion, then yes they are slacking on the job. And this is NOT permissible in Islam. Our beloved Prophet (PBUH) admired a person who got up to go to work as the Prophet was giving a talk after the Fajr prayer. Allah SWT Admonishes us in Quran to disperse and "go back to work" after the Friday prayers are over. No one gets elevated in "Emaan" by skipping work that they are obligated to perform to hang out an extra hour after the Friday prayers. You must be punctual and honest at your work and must attend to it as soon as you are done with your religious duties.
Players must realize that they will have to do preaching or any other religious activity on their own free time. And I am sure players are given reasonable free time by their employer (cricket board) to go perform their religious obligations (such as five daily prayers, umrah, hajj, 3-dayer, 40-dayer, etc.). Inzi went on his own free time for a religious trip PRIOR to the start of the India tour couple of years ago. And there are numerous other examples. The point is: Players have to be able to juggle the two in the most efficient manner.
If players are able to excel both in their profession and in religion, then no one will question their commitment to their profession.
Let's look at it another way. Let's say Pakistani players were indeed interested in utilizing their world cup tour as an opportunity to preach religion (Tabligh). No problem. And let's say the PCB or its senior officials do not bother the players about separating religion and cricket, etc, etc.. So far, so good. What would be the ideal scenario for the players, then?
Scenario 1: They keep on winning and hence continue on their tour of the West Indies for the full 5-week, thus getting more opportunities to preach religion to new people they meet every day they stay and travel around the caribbean. Preach religion to players from other teams as they win their admiration by advancing to the later stages of the WC and perhaps winning it all! The best way to further any cause is to be a winner. When you are a winner, folks will pay attention. This is valid for ANY cause. Imran Khan's cause was his hospital. By winning the 1992 World Cup, he furthered his cause many, many folds.
Secnario 2: They cheat on the job (as per my premises above), get into the preaching from the first round (thinking they are through to the semi-finals without any problems) and end up getting eliminated in 1 week: Blame their "kismat" (an utterly backward religious term which lends measurable credance to Mir's allegation) and go home to continue preaching religion to the same old people that they have been preaching all their lives! Imagine if Imran had skipped nets and had gone into fund-raising for his hospital midway through the first round of the 1992 WC, thinking that it probably is not in our "kismat" and we are virtually eliminated anyway! He did not. Because, he knew that the best way to further his cause was to try and keep winning on the field.
Every fan (whether practicing muslim or secular) would agree that Scenario 1 would be the ideal scenario. It would be a win-win situation. You win the world cup and you get full 5 weeks of preaching instead of 1 short week. You become ace in your play - thus winning the hearts of your fans, AND you preach your heart out as you get the attention of the entire world. Our religion very much urges us to win on BOTH accounts. Anyone slacking on either of the two fronts is in violation of the very teachings of our own religion.
-- ARK
I love cricket and I love faith. But I keep them orthogonal to each other. So, I would say this: "We should have been able to win the World Cup 2007 AND keep our faith strong at the same time". We do NOT have to sacrifice one for the other - if we do it right. If fans mix the two, they are wrong. Likewise, if the players mix the two - they are wrong as well. I don't understand why players can't take criticism for being found guilty of mixing their profession with religion such that their performance/work is affected.
A player who loses focus on cricket and concentrates instead on preaching is doing injustice not only to his obligation as a professional worker but to his religious duties as well. Remember, professional players are WORKING for a living and are under contract when they play for their national side. They get paid to play cricket. It's their job. So, as soon as they finish their religious obligation (e.g. praying), they must go back to WORK whole heartedly. If they use their WORK time to, say, preach religion, then yes they are slacking on the job. And this is NOT permissible in Islam. Our beloved Prophet (PBUH) admired a person who got up to go to work as the Prophet was giving a talk after the Fajr prayer. Allah SWT Admonishes us in Quran to disperse and "go back to work" after the Friday prayers are over. No one gets elevated in "Emaan" by skipping work that they are obligated to perform to hang out an extra hour after the Friday prayers. You must be punctual and honest at your work and must attend to it as soon as you are done with your religious duties.
Players must realize that they will have to do preaching or any other religious activity on their own free time. And I am sure players are given reasonable free time by their employer (cricket board) to go perform their religious obligations (such as five daily prayers, umrah, hajj, 3-dayer, 40-dayer, etc.). Inzi went on his own free time for a religious trip PRIOR to the start of the India tour couple of years ago. And there are numerous other examples. The point is: Players have to be able to juggle the two in the most efficient manner.
If players are able to excel both in their profession and in religion, then no one will question their commitment to their profession.
Let's look at it another way. Let's say Pakistani players were indeed interested in utilizing their world cup tour as an opportunity to preach religion (Tabligh). No problem. And let's say the PCB or its senior officials do not bother the players about separating religion and cricket, etc, etc.. So far, so good. What would be the ideal scenario for the players, then?
Scenario 1: They keep on winning and hence continue on their tour of the West Indies for the full 5-week, thus getting more opportunities to preach religion to new people they meet every day they stay and travel around the caribbean. Preach religion to players from other teams as they win their admiration by advancing to the later stages of the WC and perhaps winning it all! The best way to further any cause is to be a winner. When you are a winner, folks will pay attention. This is valid for ANY cause. Imran Khan's cause was his hospital. By winning the 1992 World Cup, he furthered his cause many, many folds.
Secnario 2: They cheat on the job (as per my premises above), get into the preaching from the first round (thinking they are through to the semi-finals without any problems) and end up getting eliminated in 1 week: Blame their "kismat" (an utterly backward religious term which lends measurable credance to Mir's allegation) and go home to continue preaching religion to the same old people that they have been preaching all their lives! Imagine if Imran had skipped nets and had gone into fund-raising for his hospital midway through the first round of the 1992 WC, thinking that it probably is not in our "kismat" and we are virtually eliminated anyway! He did not. Because, he knew that the best way to further his cause was to try and keep winning on the field.
Every fan (whether practicing muslim or secular) would agree that Scenario 1 would be the ideal scenario. It would be a win-win situation. You win the world cup and you get full 5 weeks of preaching instead of 1 short week. You become ace in your play - thus winning the hearts of your fans, AND you preach your heart out as you get the attention of the entire world. Our religion very much urges us to win on BOTH accounts. Anyone slacking on either of the two fronts is in violation of the very teachings of our own religion.
-- ARK
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