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Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board
| England Cricket Captain - No to war on Iraq |
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| BrKhalid |
| 02/05/03 at 04:46:16 |
| Bilal: My fears on Iraq crisis By Ahmer Khokhar, Evening Standard, in Sydney 4 February 2003 One of England's most promising young cricketers today became the first sportsman to publicly criticise the United States over their threats towards Iraq. Speaking to Standard Sport in Australia, England Under-19 captain Bilal Shafayat said that as a practising Muslim he felt bound to speak out about the current political situation. He said it was being inflamed by "propaganda against Muslims". Shafayat added: "The USA have no right to threaten Iraq because Saddam is alleged to have hidden stockpiles of 'weapons of mass destruction' when they have used nuclear weapons (against Japan in World War II) and chemical weapons (against Vietnam in the 1960s). War does not solve anything and innocent people always suffer and get killed." It is the most overtly political statement made by any English cricketer on the crisis, and is all the more powerful because it comes at a time when his senior colleagues have been banned by the England management from talking about the political situation in Zimbabwe. Shafayat's controversial claims also contradict Nasser Hussain's view that it is unreasonable to expect ordinary cricketers to have an informed view on politically sensitive subjects. "I am cricketer, who is proud to represent his country, not a politician. I cannot say whether Saddam Hussein is a good or a bad person. Some people claim he is very cruel towards his own people, while others believe that he has done many good things for the Iraqi people," said Shafayat, whose exploits with the bat have led to him being nicknamed 'Billy the Kid'. "I'm very worried about the frequent propaganda against Muslims in the press, which labels us as fanatics and terrorists." Shafayat, born in Nottingham, is the son of Pakistani immigrants who told him, his brother and two sisters that while the UK is 'their' country and they should consider themselves English, they should keep their Islamic values and Pakistani heritage. He is considered one of English cricket's most-talented teenagers and has been likened to a young Ian Botham. He came to prominence in 2001, when he scored 75 on his Notts debut, as a 16-yearold, against Middlesex. Despite playing just three first-class matches, he received the Denis Compton award as the best young county cricketer of the year, and was picked for the England Under-17 tour of Australia. Currently Down Under with the Under-19s, Shafayat has continued his impressive displays, scoring a century in the second youth Test. They are currently playing the Third Test in Sydney. "My parents are religious," he said. "They taught me about Islam and my father encouraged me to play cricket. I've passed my GCSEs and 'A' Levels and with Allah's help I'll now concentrate on improving as a cricketer - God willing." [url]http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport/articles/3213559?source=Evening%20Standard[/url] |
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