Question:
People say that make Du’a or I am making Du’a that such & such (football or cricket) team wins or such and such Muslim or Non-Muslim player does well.
I know/suspect that this is most probably wrong but how is it wrong & how can one explain to another person the reason for it being wrong?
Answer:
As Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh
Haamidaw wa Musalliyaa
Professional sports generally entail a host of various impermissible things, singing, music, photography, exposing of the satr, betting, gambling, impermissible advertisements (alcohol, interest institutions, gambling etc), intermingling of the sexes, unnecessary delaying of salaah in the masjid – if performed at all, rumours and gossip, idol-ism from fans etc. be this during the match, practice or during the day of any professional sportsman or team. This being the case how is possible for one to make dua for such causes that invite the curse and wrath of Allah Ta’ala where these vices are taking place.
Furthermore, dua for one’s own guidance and that of all creation, for the alleviation of the millions that are being oppressed, starved, brutally massacred around the world, for protection against fitnah and evil etc are all extremely pertinent and important issues that we need to direct our duas towards. How foolish can a person be, that he spares time to make dua and follow a mundane activity and sport, the end result is nothing more than anxiety or a short term happiness and some bragging rights whilst on the other hand the end result of duas for good and noble causes could result in eternal luxury in Paradise or eternal doom in Hell fire, or in the case of not making dua for the oppressed people, the end result could be more oppression and brutal deaths and massacres of innocent weak children, females and age.
(Mufti) Muhammad A. Ballim
