All India Muslim Jamaat President, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi criticised India’s marquee pace bowler Mohammed Shami for not observing ‘Roza’ during Ramzan. Shami was spotted consuming an energy drink during India’s semi-final in the ICC Champions Trophy against Australia. The visual triggered an unwanted controversy, as some people started to ask how Shami skipped his ‘Roza’. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has reacted to the row, saying sports and religion should not be mixed together.
“I think I just want to say that this is my personal view-I might be wrong or right. Sports should be treated separately. People who feel religion is playing this role or that role, I think it’s fine to kind of do your routine, what you do in your religion. But people expecting Shami to do this or Rohit Sharma to do this or any XYZ to do this or that during a certain period (is not fair),” Harbhajan told India Today.
Harbhajan defended Shami’s act, saying it is important for a sportsperson to keep themselves hydrated while playing.
“You might be doing it because you are sitting at home or doing your own routine work. But when you are playing as a sportsman, if you don’t keep yourself hydrated, you might collapse,” he added.
“And of course, with the kind of heat they are playing in, I think they need to drink water. They can’t go through the game without having a drink or a snack. It’s your body, after all-you need fuel.”
“People who are commenting about it, all I can say is it’s their personal thing. Shami or others, I don’t think they will be worried or bothered about it.”
Earlier this week, Bareilvi sparked controversy by calling Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami a ‘criminal’ for allegedly not observing ‘Roza’ during Ramzan.
Badaruddin Siddiqui, Mohammed Shami’s childhood coach, also came to the defence of the star bowler.
“He (Shami) did whatever he was supposed to do; there is no need to pay attention to these things, he should be concentrating on his finals and forget everything,” Siddiqui said in defence of Shami to ANI. “He has not committed a crime; he has served the country. Personal things can come later, but country comes first…I request everybody not to say such things but support the whole team.”
Earlier on, Maulana Bareilvi commented to ANI, “By not keeping ‘Roza’ he (Mohammed Shami) has committed a crime. He should not do this. In the eyes of Shariat, he is a criminal. He will have to answer God.”
Maulana Bareilvi said that ‘Roza’ is one of the compulsory duties and anyone who doesn’t adhere to it is a criminal.
“One of the compulsory duties is ‘Roza’ (fasting)…If any healthy man or woman doesn’t observe ‘Roza’, they will be a big criminal. A famous cricket personality of India, Mohammed Shami had water or some other beverage during a match,” said Maulana Bareilvi.