World Cup, Qatar and Proselytizing
By: Imam Shamsi Ali, President of the Nusantara Foundation, New York
The three things in the title of this paper are not directly related. Even though maybe Qatar is currently very synonymous with the world football championship in 2022. So what does this have to do with Da’wah Islam? Is this part of an effort to link religion with football?
Some criticize that the attempt to associate football with religion is an attempt to “religious bolasation”. Some want to be equated with linking politics and religion which is then accused of “religious politicization”.
Honestly, lazy to discuss this issue. But I want to remind you that human life is interrelated. One aspect cannot be separated from other aspects. Especially in a real Islamic perspective.
Playing football with high professionalism (enthusiasm and skill) for a Muslim may be part of the practice of the hadith: “Indeed, Allah loves someone when he does something he does it with itqan” (hadith). So playing professionally, regardless of winning or not, is part of the Islamic spirit.
What I want to convey this time is the bitter reality that our world is dominated by dishonesty, even hypocrisy. One of them is the tendency of some humans, especially those who claim to be “western” (West) as a group that is deeper in everything. Smarter, more powerful, and feel the most civilized (civilized).
On the other hand, the non-Western world (called the Eastern world) is the opposite of all that. Underdeveloped, less insightful and even less civilized. When Islam is identified as an eastern religion (Orientalism) then Islam is definitely a religion that inspires backwardness, uncivilized ignorance. Even further Islam is shown as an inspiration and even a religion of violence.
The fact that Qatar was able to host the world’s most popular sporting event in a very professional manner, even acknowledged by many above average, says a lot.
At least there are four things that I want to show this time:
First, Qatar displays the beauty of Islam as a progressive, modern and inclusive religion of life on the one hand. But have a clear and firm commitment and stance on the other side. Qatar has opened itself as wide as possible, embracing all parties. But QatR is firm with the values he believes in according to the faith he adheres to.
Second, it exposes the dishonesty and even hypocrisy of some people about the universal values that have been propagated so far. Take one of them the values of tolerance and freedom. It turns out that for some, especially the Western world, tolerance and freedom are defined by taking sides with their point of view. When freedom and tolerance are seen as not in line with their interests, then it is no longer freedom and tolerance. Shouldn’t they be tolerant of Qatar’s freedom in upholding the values it believes in?
Third, the world football event with Qatar as the host while at the same time affirming that our world is dominated by awakened perceptions. And it turns out that perception is usually determined by the power of information (the media). Qatar has succeeded in affirming that too many things are constructed by the media in the interests of certain groups. The presence of guests from various parts of the world in Qatar made them discover the reality behind the lies about the Islamic world and Islam itself.
Fourth, Qatar has reminded and taught this Ummah and the Islamic world as a whole that the most effective Da’wah for developing Islam is not with high rhetoric and lectures in the pulpits. But with behavior and example in real life. What Qatar has shown both as the host of football, and more specifically in showing its character as an Islamic country is Islamic da’wah that needs to be appreciated.
All of the above is actually concluded in the verses of the Quran. Among them when Allah said: “And is there a better speech than an invitation to the path of Allah, do good deeds and say: indeed I am one of the Muslims” (Surah Yusuf).
This verse seems to say that the priority of preaching lies in the efforts of this Ummah to build exemplary. So that when other people start studying Islam they no longer question: “what form of Islam will they follow?” (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
