Interesting article on NYTimes talking about how some Muslim extremists think that soccer should be played in Muslim countries. A fatwa is shown. You need subscription to get to the article, which is nevertheless free.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/16/opinion/16porter.html?th&emc=th
Some reasons which is copied from the article:
- “International terminology that heretics and polytheists use, like “foul,” “penalty,” “corner,” “goal,” “out” and others, should be abandoned and not said. Whoever says them should be punished, reprimanded and ejected from the game. He should be publicly told, “You have imitated the heretics and polytheists and this is forbidden.”"
-”Do not follow the heretics, the Jews, the Christians and especially evil America regarding the number of players. Do not play with 11 people. Instead, add to this number or decrease it. “
-”Do not set the time of play at 45 minutes, which is the official time of the Jews, Christians and all the heretical and atheist countries. This is the time used by teams that have strayed from the righteous path. You are obliged to distinguish yourself from the heretics and the corrupted and must not resemble them in anything. “
-”Do not play in two halves. Rather play in one half or three halves in order to completely differentiate yourselves from the heretics, the polytheists, the corrupted and the disobedient.”
-”Young crowds should not gather to watch when you play because if you are there for the sake of sports and strengthening your bodies as you claimed, why would people watch you? You should make them join your physical fitness and jihad preparation, or you should say: “Go proselytize and seek out morally reprehensible acts in the markets and the press and leave us to our physical fitness.”"
Here is 5 of the 15 in the article. There is more than 15, since the author claimed that he translated only some of the them found in a particular website. Once again, I want to emphasize that this is by some extremists and not reflect the mainstream Muslim community like those in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
