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.
Bishen Singh Bedi was a great cricketer and a great gentleman. I met him when he was Indian captain of the team touring Pakistan. It was a great series and did so much for goodwill, mostly becasue of Bedi who won the hearts of many Pakistanis but his ready smile and his freindly manner.
kahan say baat nikli thi aur kahan pohancha de aap nay.
why do people have this obsession with religious fights. seems like they enjoy this panga baazi with each other :-)
MQ,
I agree that caliph Othman(RA) compiled it. I would add that caliph Ali(RA) was the motivational or say initial source for compilation.
The reason I asked that Quranist rejects the same companions and don’t consider them “honest” in case of Hadith. I never understand this double standard policy and sounds illogical. Anyway it might be fragile side of a belief for a community and yes its a long and irrelevent debate here.
Adnan Siddiqi Sahib,
Quaran was compiled by Caliph Uthman about 15 years after the death of the Prophet. The people who had memorized the Quran, during the life of the Prophet, were still around at the time of its compilation. Even then critics question the authenticity of certain verses or certain parts.
On the other hand the ahadith were collected from anectodes two centuries after the death of the Prophet. In the 200 years the world of Islam had transformed from a monolithic Arab society to a multi-racial and multi-cultural society whose political and social interests had vastly
changed. Individuals and groups had developed vested interests. The collectors of Ahadith themselves discarded 90 percent of the ahadith that were in circulation then.
The compilation process of the two — the Quran and Ahadith — are not comparable.
Anyway, enough of religious discussion. It¹s time to move on to other topics.
But before we change the subject, one more she¹r from — you have guessed it!
Tera imaaam be-hazoor, teri namaz be-saroor
Aisi namaaz say guzar, aisay imaam say guzar
(translation upon request only)
Cheers
MQ
MQ,
as far as I have *heared* , Quran was also compiled after the death of Prophet(SAW)? how then you had recieved Quran after 1500 years? Can you reveal that *source of transfer* to outer world? please dont say it was Iqbal
MQ… thanx for the poetic saying, sounds really good.
I know of Allamah Iqbal by name, but dont really know his shairi.
can u recommend any good links?
yahya…lol…I suppose ur remarks are due to ur lack to knowledge and understanding!
I shud get u a vistors visa…so u can live in the west and then judge for urself, how does that sound?!
Man if only u knew wot kinda life I live and wot I’ve studied.
u see I dont think u see the clear distinction between religion and culture, maybe u do but it aint clear is it?
I, as a matter of fact have only ever been to pakland once,
I am more or less ignorant of majority of the pakistani traditions and I aint too fussed about it either!
And dont think I’m some backwards girl/woman livin in a ‘too modern for me society’ cos who says u cant live a lavish life, up to date wiv latest tecnology, aswell as fashion and not practise Islaam???
Get over the stereotype that practising muslims cant speak english or are not educated. prime example of this wud be Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, hes western, but a traditional muslim.
If ppl wanna immitate the west, do it in style! dont leave ur Islaam for it, cos thats ‘meant’ to be ur religion ‘ur way of life’, leave ur culture!
and I soooooooooo didnt have any intention of askin for attention, cos I luv my society I luv my way of life, I aint that sad that I’d come on this site and try to be ’somebody’.
Enuf sed!
Peace out
If you still cannot understand…thats ur problem, broaden your understanding of culture and Islaam. I know many pakistanis who have a good understanding, but u always get the odd few that dont..khyr :P
ws
I’m sorry if I sound petty, I hate that kinda stuff,thats why I prefer looking at the funny side when ppl try to diss the ‘practising brits and muslims’, but answers also need to be given!
["If you'r living in paksitan, go study in a madressa for a yr or two, maybe you’ll gain some understanding of the very basics of Islaam."]
My dear “British Pakistani”,
Thanks for the advice. But do you know what? I did have the opportunity to talk to both the teachers and students of madrassas in Pakistan at length. And what I found there is best echoed by Iqbal in these lines(I am sure you are familiar with the Shaair-e-Ummat):
Gala tau ghont diya ahle madrassa nay tera
KahaN say aaye sada la ilaha illallah!
A rough translation would be:
At the madrassas they hold you by the throat (and seal your lips). How can you then proclaim “there are no gods but only One”!
Cheers
MQ