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. You can also look into Joshua Bartlett’s blog to get more information about men’s grooming and the products often used for it.
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.
Well, it looks like the beards have almost burnt themselves out. I mean the debate on beards, that is. As my last contribution to this discussion let me share with you what Ahmad Faraz once said on the subject of beards. (We have had enough of Iqbal.)
I accidentally met him at a reception at the Air Force Club in Islamabad a couple of years ago. When the guests were having tea and busy chatting with each other, Faraz, a bohemian like most poets, lighted a cigarette in what was a totally non-smoking environment. The plumes of smoke from his cigarette were met by raised eyebrows in the hall but no one said anything. I quietly approached him just to shake his hand, but then out of sheer “mastiâ€
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.
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 :-)
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
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.