Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I m indian, Im Supporting to pakistan cricket team as a muslim team is it wrong to support this team if im indian. Can u give me answer with referance of hadis and quran.

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Answer:

Support cricket match

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Cricket is a game and one should not give it any religious connotation. There is no harm or sin as far as Islam is concerned if you root for Pakistan even though you are an Indian. For that matter a Pakistan national can root for India and there definitely would be no sin upon him. The taking of sides in cricket or any other game has no benefit or harm to any religion.

My dear beloved brother in Islam, although you have not asked any specific question about watching cricket match, it is our duty to inform you that Islam guides that the absolutely most expensive commodity one has been blessed with and will be held accountable for is the ‘time’ one has been allocated with in the short and transient life of this world, as a test and trial from their Lord.

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2:

He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you,  to see which of you is the best in deeds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 51 Surah Dhariyat verse 56:

I have not created the jinn and men except for this that they should worship Me alone.

The guidance of Islam encourages those who have professed belief to utilize this allocated time in doing good wholesome deeds either for oneself or for one’s fellow mankind; deeds which will profit oneself or others spiritually, physically, materially, or even mentally so that one may further strive towards success and salvation in the test period of this short and transient life.

Islam absolutely discourages the believers from ‘wasting’ their precious and allocated time in doing useless and worthless deeds; deeds which will bring absolutely no profit to themselves or others, either in this world or the Hereafter!  All such useless and worthless deeds which bring absolutely no gain or benefit to one in this world or the Hereafter, nor furthers one’s cause towards salvation and success are prohibited for the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day. 

Islam guides that just as a student in an exam utilizes his time to make sure he scores the maximum he can in his results, the precious time allocated by the Lord to each individual in the short and transitory life of this world as a test must be ‘utilized’ to further one’s cause of existence rather than ‘wasted’ on worthless deeds and acts.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 70 Surah Mairaj verses 42-44:

Therefore,  leave them engrossed in their vain talk and play,  until they encounter that Day of theirs which they are being promised;  when they shall be rushing out of their graves as though they are racing towards the shrines of their deities.  Their eyes shall be downcast and abasement shall be covering them.  That is the Day they are being promised.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6  Surah Anam verse 32:

This worldly life is but a sport and an amusement.  In fact, the abode of the Hereafter is better for those who desire to be safe from harm.   Will you not, then, use your common sense?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 43  Surah Zukhruf verse 83:

Well,  let them remain absorbed in their falsehoods and sports,  till they see that Day of theirs with which they are being threatened.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7  Surah Aaraaf verses 50-51:

(On the Day of Judgement) The inmates of Hell will cry out to the people of Paradise: “Pour upon us a little water or throw down a bit of the provisions Allah has bestowed upon you.”  The people of Paradise will reply, “Allah has forbidden both these things to the disbelievers,  who had made their religion a sport and a pastime,  and who had been deluded by the worldly life.”  Then Allah will say, “Today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day,  and rejected Our Revelations.”

Beloved brother, the deen of Islam does allow some level of amusement or entertainment which are good and wholesome like spending quality time with family and friends, or some sport which benefits one physically, etc.; thus there is no harm if one occasionally plays or watches cricket or any other sport; but if one were to play or watch sport for hours on end, where prayer times come and go and one is negligent of their prayers and the remembrance of Allah….indeed such wastage of the precious commodity of time is severely discouraged in Islam

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is only ones. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

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