Mohammed Shami's observance of Ramadan has led to a controversy .
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Mohammed Shami, the leading India pacer, was called "a criminal" for not observing 'Roza' during Ramzan by the president of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, on Thursday.
"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," Bareilvi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"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." Bareilvi elaborated before adding, "People were watching him. If he is playing, it means he is healthy. In such a condition, he did not observe 'Roza' and even had water...This sends a wrong message among people."
However, reacting to Bareilvi's statement, Maulana Yasoob Abba, General Secretary of All India Shia Personal Law, vehemently disagreed with Bareilvi's assessment and stated that such comments are being made for cheap publicity.
"The statement given by a Maulana of Bareilly is only for cheap publicity while aiming at Mohammad Shami... Where there is compulsion, there is no religion. Where there is religion, there is no compulsion. Every Muslim knows that he has to keep Rozas after they are adult and if a person has failed to keep fasts, it is his personal failure and has nothing t do with communilty or religion. There are various people who are not fasting during Ramadan. Why hasn't he said anything about them?.. It is wrong to involve Roza and Ramzan in controversy," Abba argued.
Shami's cousin, Dr Mumtaz, also reacted to the controversy and offered a strong defense of the cricketer. "He is playing for the country. There are many Pakistani players who have not kept 'Roza' and are playing matches, so this is nothing new. It is very shameful that such things are being said about him. We will tell Mohammed Shami not to pay attention to these things and prepare for the match on March 9," said Mumtaz.
Ramzan is the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar that falls in the ninth month of the Hijri (the Islamic lunar calendar). During this holy period, Muslims observe fasting from dawn until sunset, a practice called Roza, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, signifying values of devotion, self-restraint, and spiritual contemplation.
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