Eat Football... Sleep Football... Drink Coca Cola?

The 20th Century has been labelled by many as the 'age of the half believer', this is hardly surprising in a world that is gradually moving away from religious thoughts and ideologies and heading head first towards a secular lifestyle. One has to ask though, why is this the case after centuries of being governed by religious legislation?

The intellect will attempt to explain this by declaring 'science has disproved the existence of God'. This is also the angle it will tackle the counter statement, 'but why isn't this as evident in the Eastern Hemisphere?' They amusingly claim 'that part of the world is scientifically underdeveloped'. Yet this is completely ridiculous, as science and many of its fundamental principles were founded in the Islamic 'East'.


Therefore the only rational explanation we are left with, complies with the fact that, the Christian church has in history predominantly governed the Western Hemisphere. And it is they themselves who have deconstructed religion to such a comical level, arriving to the conclusion that it is 'nonsensical'. Carl Gustav Jung, father of modern psychology recognised this problem when he said, 'The crisis of the West is in part due to the fact that the Christian myths and symbols are no longer lived by'.

It is also interesting to note that, the same people - the Psychologists - have also established that human beings are 'Homo religious' a Latin term meaning 'religious by nature'. It is necessary to linguistically analyse the term 'religion'. John MacMurray, when defining religion believed that 'religion is particularly bound up with the emotional side of human life.' This coincides with the 'Oxford' dictionary definition: 'Religion is a particular system of faith and worship. A thing that one is devoted to.'
The words 'devote' and 'worship' delve deep into the emotional aspects of human character, just as MacMurray had declared. So the assumption is that; a religion does not necessarily require a diety nor does it even have to be monastic in nature. This explains why, despite the Westener's inclination towards a secular lifestyle, you still find many of them being religious in nature.


In the backdrop of the major European football tournament 'Euro 2000', questions were raised in the media as to whether religion has become a religion? Football doesn't necessarily have a 'god' as such; although recently there have been reports of alleged football dieties, with the newspaper 'Evening Standard' unveiling the story about a gold figurine of David Beckham that has been composed in one of the oriental countries.
Regardless of whether football does have a permanent diety or not, it is apparent for all to see that the avid followers demonstrate a very ritualistic conduct.

They even have a sanctury of worship, the 'pub' I think they call it. Where congregational worship takes place, alternatively you have the 'living room' where more intimate personal woorship can take place (similar to the coonfession box). And if you're a 'devoted' believer the 'sacred' stadium is the place to be, where you can curse and condemn the 'devils' - the away fans - in unison. And just like the old 'churches', you can hear the 'hymns ringing' out from these places. Once the worship has ended, as a matter of principle there is always the compulsory sersmon from the priest, usually delivered by the likes of Alan Hanson, Rudd Gullit, or Des Lynam.
Eventually the 'followers' embark on a little 'remebrance' around the pub table, before making their way home throughly intoxicated.


Although the above is an amusing analogy of the situation, the truth is, the supporters themselves often depict the whole situation in this ritualistic manner.

The worrying factor is that many of our brothers and sisters find themselves susceptible to this type of devotional 'following'. Why is this necessary, when we have a religion that makes complete sense? It is a 'Religion for people of understanding'.

I am not condemning football, for I myself enjoy the sport. There are serious perils, which brothers and sisters are not always conscious of, and can get caught up in, this is the 'devotional' following, that can lead to some patricipating in events such as the commemoration of those, who actually die for this 'religion!' as if they were 'martyrs' of some sort.

I mean who did they die for, and where do you think they are now? In comparison you'll be hard pushed to find the same number concerned about the deaths of the true 'martyr' (may Allah Grant them Paradise) like those in Chechnya. These brothers and sisters know exactly why they are there, and for whom they are fighting. You see, just like our 'mujahideen', football has it's 'warriors' - we know them as 'hooligans', who apparently fight 'for the honour of their chosen football team'. This only underlines the 'sorry' state that these 'confused' people now find themselves in, risking their lives, in the name of what?! They don't even really know themselves!


Once again I would like to clarify; that I am not against watching football or any sport for that matter - so long as it does not contradict the Shari'ah rulings and waste valuable time or interfere with ones prayer or other Islamic duties. I just wish to warn Muslim brothers and sisters to be aware of the fact that, when they eat football, sleep football, they don't always drink-Coca-Cola....Do you?