The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda – Religion Writer
RAMADAN, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month in which the religious text of Islam was revealed, is a very crucial period in Islam.
The Islamic calendar being lunar — 10 to 11 days shorter than the solar year — with months beginning when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted, Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons and this year it runs between June 18 and July 16.
Thousands of Muslim sports personalities worldwide observe this period through various practices, but fasting has remained one of the pillars of Islamic practice.
Club doctors at reigning Uefa Champions League holders Real Madrid usually design a special programme for star striker Karim Benzema to keep him hydrated without taking fluids during his fasting period and Ramadan was a topical issue at last year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
A number of football stars who took part at the World Cup finals last year are Muslims and the list includes Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini (Belgium), Manchester City’s Yaya Toure (Cote d’Ivoire) and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil (Germany).
Away from football, retired basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal who starred for Los Angeles Lakers and former world heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson are some of the renowned Muslims.
Closer to home, South Africa’s Test cricket captain Hashim Amla is also a Muslim and locally Sunday Mail Religion caught up with Dynamos left winger Qadr Amini who revealed his itinerary for the upcoming Ramadan.
“Ramadan is a very crucial period in our lives because this is the time we get closer to God and ask for blessings.
“We fast daily for 30 days between 6am and 6pm as a way of showing sacrifice, to plead with God to hear our prayers.
“It is the time that I pray against injuries, blessings in my football career.
“We pray as a family five times a day during this period.
“The first prayer is at 5am, the second one follows at 1pm while the third is held at 4pm. We have another one at 6pm before the closing prayer at 8pm.
“It is also time for us to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness from God, so like I said this is a very crucial time for us Muslims,” said Amini who has fully recovered from a groin injury that kept him out of action for almost four weeks.
Amini also revealed that he has to avoid swearing and arguing, acts which are against dictates of Ramadan.
When its time for Ramadan he does not take water even during the half-time break when he is fasting. And he says that is part of the sacrifice.
Other renowned local Muslim soccer players include Mamelodi Sundowns forward Khama Billiat, Denmark based Silas Songani and Ali Sadiki’s younger brother Takunda.
