Originally Posted by dc_vtec

Assalamualaikum/Greetings,

Just to share.
Muslims in Euro 2008: A Symbol of Integration


Many people all over the world have been eagerly awaiting the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euro 2008™, which began on Saturday, June 7. According to Euro 2008's latest official list of players, the European teams participating are having the largest number of Muslim players over the history of European football championships.


A quick look at the Euro 2008 squads, reveals more than 10 Muslim players participating in one of the most important football tournaments in the world. Among the listed prominent Muslim names in Euro 2008 according to Islamica Community and Wikipedia are: Frank/ Belal Ribéry, a French Muslim convert; Nicolas/ Belal Anelka, a French Muslim convert; Robin van Persie, a Dutch player who is claimed to be a Muslim convert after being affected by his Muslim Moroccan childhood friend and wife and Rami Shaaban, a Swedish player of Egyptian origin, etc.


Although UEFA is placing stricter laws and regulations preventing non-European players from joining local and European competitions, UEFA cannot prevent European Muslims from playing as European nationals who usually prove that they are stars leading their teams to great trophies and successes. One can never forget Zinedine Zidane, the French football superstar of Algerian origin who led the French national team to win 1998 World Cup after scoring two goals in the final match against Brazil.



Simultaneously, one can never forget when President Jacques Chirac warmly greeted the full French squad and when it came to Zidane, he did coldly shake hands with him. But still, the French squad has (apart from Turkey's team) the largest number of Muslim players.



Taking discrimination and Islamophobia into account, European players who are Muslim converts, hardly reveal their new faith; whereas those of Muslim origins try to act as normal Europeans hiding any Islamic gestures or practices that would provoke their fans.



A record number of Muslim stars will lead the twice crowned European champions France into Euro 2008. The 23-man squad of Les Bleus (the nickname for the French soccer team) will feature nine Muslim players.



A record number of Muslim stars will lead the twice crowned European champions France in Euro 2008

The 25-year-old French right sided winger, Franck Ribery, is known for supplicating to God before the game kickoff. "Islam is the source of power for me inside and outside the football field," Ribery has said. "My life was hard enough and I had to find something to take me to safety and I found Islam."



Ribery's reversion to Islam, which was leaked in 2006, was first noticed during France's opener against Switzerland in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The blue-eyed boy of the French soccer fans started his playing career at his home town club US Boulogne and then moved to Alès, Brest and FC Metz in consecutive seasons. His move to Olympique Marseille has earned him top French player honors for the months of August, October and November 2005. He was selected for the French squad for the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.




Muslim Stars



A second Muslim soccer star, Eric Abidal, will also appear in French colors in Euro 2008. The 29-year-old Barcelona defender reverted to Islam five years ago and named himself "Bilal". Abidal, who was considered one of the best fullbacks in the French league, says his Muslim faith encourages him to spare no efforts to serve his team.



"I embraced Islam in full conviction," Abidal, who is married to an Algerian woman, has told Paris Match magazine.

Abidal, a father of two, started his professional career with AS Monaco on September 16, 2000, where he earned 22 first-team appearances. He moved to Lille OSC and at the end of 2004, he returned to his native region by joining Olympique Lyonnais. In June 2007, Abidal moved to FC Barcelona, the world's second richest club, for 15 million sterling pound.



There are conflicting reports as to whether Les Bleus Muslim striker Thierry Henry is Muslim or not. Irrespective of whether Henry is Muslim or not, what is known is that he usually encourages people to read more about Islam and the Noble Qur'an to get more acquainted with the faith. This is in itself a great gesture in creating a more positive understanding of Islam, a faith unfairly maligned by the mainstream media.



Other prominent Muslim players in the French team are defender Lilian Thuram, striker Nicholas Anelka, who reverted to Islam in 1991 when he was 16, midfielder Lassana Diarra (Portsmouth), striker Karim Benzema (Lyon), midfielder Samir Nasri (Marseille) and left-winger Hatem Ben Arfa (Lyon).



Sixteen teams are vying in the tournament, which is jointly organized by Austria and Switzerland and will run until June 29. The winner of Euro 2008 will represent the continent at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa.



Sources: Based on ‘Muslims in Euro 2008: A Symbol of Integration?’ by Mohamed Nada and ‘Muslim Bleus Shine in Euro 2008’ by Hadi Yahmid (Islam Online)


RAMAI MUSLIM MAIN KAT EURO TO BRO.. BUKAN SUME ORG KAPIR..YAPERDAA

Originally Posted by Orang Kampung

hahahhaha..woi cicok kubong, main bola sepak x dosa ker?? mu tgk bola pakai mata ker pakai lubang idung?? doh lutut jolor keluor tu menatang aper? bukan aurat ker? doh kalu aurat dok dosa ker?

hok main uero tu sumer bapok kapir,hok memg dok pakai sejok azali lagi, contoh mendelah yg mu buei,base takdok aroh doh!! hahahaha...

doh bakpe mu dok jawab soalan aku tuu?? fitnoh org?? hahahahahhaha....
mu wak fitnoh dulu ke awok2 kemamang dulu mu dok ingat?? ...
sembang konon kat rumoh ader cd ceramoh belambok2,burung male kerbau kalu mu ajor hari2 pun dia bleh kata gitu gok!!! bahang rambang mu!!!

Originally Posted by Orang Kampung

hahahhahaha...

woi bro, yg muslim main kat uero tu ader pakai seluar treak ker?? or aper2 yg boleh tutup kepale lutut?? kalau nak kira turkey majoriti player muslim, dah tu kepale lutut tesembur jugak!! ahahahhahah...

aper la lu org nie,sumernya ngokk!!! hahahhahahaha.....

kat mesia nie pun belambok muslim,tapi.... lu pikir la sendri!!!!

hahahhahahahahahhahahaha........

Originally Posted by Throttle

Salam sedara semua..... bukan nak bang sapa2 ni.... Gua sebenornya syok gak baca debate lu orang semua ni.... tapi gua suggest sedara semua jangan la cakap pasal hukum hakam agama kat sini.... It's not appropriate.... bukan tempatnya.... lebih kurang mcm, lepak kat masjid (bukan dalam masjid) pakai seluar pendek...

Hope u guys take this in a good way....

Originally Posted by maskulinB8

Salam semua,

Sy amat sependapat dgn saudara Throttle, ada baiknya korang yg ada masalah personal ni bersemuka & selesaikan baik2, kalau x dpt cara baik sy x tau la mcm ne, thread ni ttg Terengganu Sprint Test so kalau nak berdebat pasal keta sape paling laju kat negeri terengganu best la jugak..
harap maaf sbb dulu masa sy mula2 masuk dlm thread ni dh cuba nak amankan thread kemaman dgn terengganu ni tp tak berjaya jugak..

Maskulinb8

Originally Posted by Orang Kampung

bukan masalah nak menjatuhkan reputasi org,kenaper org tu ader reputasi tinggi sgt ker?? hehehehe... aku pun memg takde masalah directly dgn dia, cumanya bila aku tgk mamat sorg nie yg perasan best dan ader reputasi buat statement yg bangang2, nak jugak aku tegur, tapi yg bestnya SAMPAI SEKARANG MAMAT TU TAK NAK MENGAKU!!! HAHAHAHAHHA....

pusing bab agama lah,nak api2kan aku ngan forumer yg lainlah,tuduh org tu tuduh org nie, memg boring aku tgk perangai mamat sekor nie,perasan best, pastu stakat tgk cd ceramah bribu2 dah rasa mcm power, sembang pasal agama, bila tegor melenting, dah x ker banganag namanya tu...dah patut pun jadi ngok!! hahahahhaha....

woi ngok, bila mau mengaku woi,?? ader maner2 forumer lain tak yg berani nak tanya soalan nie pada mamat sekor nie, pernah tak dia keluarkan statement yg dia x tahu tapi sembang mcm tahu?? hahahaha

Originally Posted by SRF Racing

Maskulinb8,

selagi ader org yg PHD kat sini selagi tu lah thread ni takkan aman...
panggil laa pengaman PBB sekali pun...hahahaaa...just joking

seeloknya panggil CSI buat siasatan...dapat tahu sapa tok dalang nya baru senang kita nak bersemuka...

bagi saya, diaorg ni takde mende yang nak diselesaikan pun...
sebab misi mereka adalah untuk menjatuhkan reputasi seseorang....

Originally Posted by Vtec1.6_auto

Mung ni jenis susoh paham org Kata ke munglah jugok bodor....
Nok cari simpati dari org lain.....kata anok jantan.....anok jantan bujang tua dok sedor diri...doh lah kereta pinjam....hahahaha