Inzamam-ul-Haq's Evangelization

Inzamam-ul-Haq and some of his teammates brought Islam to the cricket team, pavilion and pitches, leading to player segregation and encouraging Namaaz. He invited controversial clerics to team meetings, resulting in an overzealous Muslim Pakistani cricket team. ---------- By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 16 November, 2023 Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday slammed former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for the latter's claims that Singh was influenced by the teachings of the controversial Maulana Tariq Jameel and wanted to convert to Islam. Singh rubbished these claims and asserted that he is a proud Indian and Sikh. A few years ago, a British cricket scribe wrote that Inzamam-ul-Haq could have been a far greater batsman had he been less devout. So very true. It was Inzamam-ul-Haq, who along with Saeed Anwar, Saqlain Mushtaq and Shahid Afridi, brought Islam to the cricket team, pavilion and pitches. Inzamam and Anwar's unbridled evangelization vitiated the vibes and segregated players like Danish Kaneria and Yusuf Youhana on the basis of their faiths. Youhana finally embraced Islam to survive and became Mohammad Yousuf. Danish didn't leave Hinduism and was ill-treated by his teammates, esp. by Shahid Afridi who openly suggested that Danish should convert to Islam. Haq encouraged Pakistani cricketers to offer Namaaz on the ground. He began to invite controversial clerics to team meetings and started nudging foreign players like Harbhajan and even the West Indian legend Brian Lara to convert to Islam. Mufti Tariq Jameel, Tariq Masud and others would preach and motivate players. These fanatic preachers are very popular among the sub-continental Muslims and lakhs and crores of Muslims in India and Bangladesh watch their YouTube channels. They should be behind the bars for their volatile sermons and asinine claims. Tariq Jameel would have you believe that Houries are 130 ft. in height and if they spit in the ocean, it'll turn into nectar. These Houries don't defecate and fart. They don't menstruate and all that garbage. They're all rank uncouth and completely deranged village clerics whose sole objective is to condemn non-Muslims all the time. When such preachers, nay yokels, are invited to 'motivate' cricketers, you can imagine the level of religious indoctrination and brainwashing. Inzamam started this trend and now the entire Pakistani cricket team is a group of overzealous Muslims. You may have seen Inzamam in his 'modern' avatar. He sports a beehive-like beard sans moustache! So does Saeed Anwar. These religiously-opiated cricketers must understand that religion is a private issue. It must never be flaunted outside. But then, a number of Muslims, even 'educated' ones, believe that converting a Kafir to Islam will directly take them to heaven where they'll meet Allah, Muhammad and a gaggle of gorgeous gals, whom they call Houries. Alhamdulillah! I intend to convert to Islam, but only for those Houries with an hour-glass figure. I've no desire to meet Allah and his Rasool. ---------- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------ URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/inzamam-ul-haqs-evangelization/d/131121 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism