An Islamic religious body in Kerala has cautioned football fans against getting "intoxicated" by the World Cup fever and indulging in "hero worship of players."
The Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Khutbah state committee has issued the instructions to the 'khatibs' as part of the message for Friday sermon. It also flayed the practice of carrying the flags of countries that invaded India as those against Islam.
Incidentally, the football fever of Kerala, especially in the Muslim-dominated north Kerala districts of Malappuram and Kozhikode, had even caught the attention of FIFA this time. FIFA had posted the picture of huge cutouts of football legends on a river bank in Kozhikode-Malappuram border.
Khutbah committee message said that even though the religion was not against sports, it has cautioned against celebrations crossing the limits and influencing the individuals to consider life itself as an entertainment. Entertainments should not affect believers from attending prayers, especially since many matches are held in the evening and late nights, it said.
"The believers should ensure that they are not intoxicated by football fever. Liquor and drugs are not the only intoxicants. Many things that we consider as entertainment could affect our responsibilities. Valuable time should not be wasted for entertainment. It was also disturbing to see that even those who are financially struggling were getting involved in setting up huge cutouts of football players," said the message.
It also said that even as it was natural that football fans show favouritism towards any particular team or player, it should not become hero worship leading to one becoming slaves of football players. Believers should worship Allah only and not indulge in hero worship, it said.
The committee's message also said that it was improper to carry flags of countries like Portugal which were the foremost invaders of India as well as flags of countries that are against Islam. Instead of considering the game with sportsman spirit, there should not be affinity to those countries, it said.
While Kerala education minister V Sivankutty said that football craze was the choice of individuals and no one can interfere in it, Indian Union Muslim League MLA M K Muneer commented that it needed to be ensured that entertainment did not cross the limits.
The Khutbah committee general secretary Nazar Faizy Koodathayi told reporters that it was in view of the extravaganza over the World Cup as well as concerns that believers were skipping prayers for watching football that prompted the committee to create awareness.