Adil Najam
Given all the discussion about cricket and Islam (here), sooner or later we will come to beards and cricket and whether beards of a certain length or style are ‘religiously intimidating’ for some (related story here).
I thought I would pre-empt the discussion by sharing some images of a few ‘great beards’ of cricket. Readers are, of course, welcome to add to the list.
For that it seems to me that the obvious choice is one of Pakistan’s most graceful batsmen ever (and that is saying something!) Saeed Anwar. He is also generally considered a mentor to many of the more religiously inclined players in the current Pakistan team.
His, however, is not the only set of religiously motivated set of facial hair to adorn cricketing fields. One of my all-time favorite cricketers and all-time favorite famous persons is former Indian Captain Bishen Singh Bedi. His fine-looking facial hair and head-dress - and of many others - were also clearly religiously-motivated and a constant expression of his faith.
By way of disclosure I should add that I occasionally sprout facial hair of my own but am mostly clean-shaven. But as a deep and committed adherent of people’s right of expression (how can a blogger not be that!) I stand committed to defend people’s right to facial hair, whether they are grown for stylistic elegance or religious expression.
[quote post="377"]his gang of Mullah thugs going arou[/quote]
hamdani, you are not sounding different anyway. Are you mullah of your minority cabal? *Grin*
Could the brilliant brownie tell us who made drinking and dancing a precondition and in what team?
It is only Inzimam and his gang of Mullah thugs going around doing this sort of stuff…
As a Pakistani I am appalled.
[quote comment="5644"]
But forcing ppl to night clubs and drinking is also wrong….may it be via peer pressure…..or for incusion in a group/ team….is there anyone who has spoken about that?[/quote]
You are absolutely right that is an issue and when people are forced into drinking and clubbing purely due to peer pressure then we should speak against it and there are number of time people do when that is the issue under discussion. However, drinking, clubbing is not an issue in this post. The post was regarding beards and that is why the comments are focused on beards. Why should anybody in this particular post be discussing the issues you have just raised?
I hope the implication is not that because peer pressure is used in those circumstances it is justified in this instance as well. The two are completely distinct issues and are equally wrong. It is not tit for tat - peer pressure under all circumstance is wrong and worse in case of religion because the following of religion should only be for the love of God and not to fit in or to be part of the group.
Here is another that I like out of the more recent lot :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navjot_Singh_Sidhu
Not in the least because he and I share the same last name or because he and my father grew up in the same town i.e. Patiala or because we belong to the same region in Punjab… :)
I like him as a cricketer and cricket commentator, though I can not say as much for his politics.
“Inzimam and his gang of Mullah thugs”
I think you’re taking things a bit too far here.
Well, well, well………
Sorry to say but I must say that ATP is trying to play the role of the Evening Newspapers…….
First of all giving marriage ads……(which I say that ATP has the full right to do so, and i have no problems with that whatsoever)
Then by bring out such non-issues which only seems that they want the blog to thrive with discussions.
Journalists have a responsibiltiy……..and that does not include printing such stories that are sensational, only for the sake of it.
But if some stories are indeed senataional by nature and by default then that is no problem.
Now,
speaking of which:
Why do ppl (some or all) do not have a problem with people who have beard’s and who think thery are holier than thou?
Why must this issue arise only for beards?
Secondly focing to religion is wrong…..and you people have rightly stated that.
But forcing ppl to night clubs and drinking is also wrong….may it be via peer pressure…..or for incusion in a group/ team….is there anyone who has spoken about that?
The issue here is not of facial hair. People may keep facial hair all they want.
The issue here is about Inzimam and his gang of mullah thugs forcing people to pray when they don’t want to and making their selection to the squad dependent on this…
In addition to this, we have the issue of intimidation of non-muslims and minorities in the team by Inzimam and his gang of Mullah thugs… Pakistan’s cricket team was once a national unit embodying all Pakistanis.
In any event, this entire thing is against the spirit of Islam itself… remember La ikrah fid deen?
I think it has already been suggested but the problem is not the beard, but the assumption of high moral ground that sometime comes with keeping a beard.
I have no idea whether Saeed Anwar takes the high moral ground or believes himself to be a better Muslim compared to his colleagues. If he does, and does so because of his beard then that is problematic. However, it is too simplistic to blame beard for this attitude of moral high being, which is attained by the self claimed religious few. One has to just see the disdain with which many alleged mullahs (and I use the word very loosely because I do not want to describe such people as Islamic scholars) treat people who question their belief system and their theatrical ways of promoting the religion. Nevertheless, this ground of high morality based on appearance is not just the domain of Muslim theatrics but also of other religions.
I believe Saeed Anwar has a complete right to grow a beard and if it is for his religious beliefs then good for him. We all should have a right to practice our religion freely and express it. However, it should also be acknowledged that the people who do not have beard also have the right not to do so and this does not in anyway make them a Muslim lacking in some domination.