Mubarak al-Bathali (left) and Mo Salah (right)
According to Daily Mail UK, an Islamic preacher has claimed that footballer Mo Salah injured his shoulder in the Champions League final because he broke his Ramadan fast for the match.
The Liverpool star sprained his shoulder in a tussle with Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos about 31 minutes into the game, which the Reds went on to lose 3-1.
Kuwaiti preacher Mubarak al-Bathali the next day claimed in a tweet that ‘God punished him’ for eating before the match during the Holy month.
He said that although Muslims are allowed to stop fasting for travel, eating so he could play in the final was ‘not a legitimate excuse’ and Salah had sinned.
Al-Bathali said Salah intended to break his fast for the match, rather than because he was travelling from Britain to Ukraine, and his intention was what mattered.
Liverpool physiotherapist Ruben Pons earlier confirmed Salah would break his fast for the match after discussions with a nutritionist.
‘Tomorrow and the day of the match he won’t [fast], so it’s not going to affect him,’ he told Spanish radio station Cadena SER last Thursday.
Al-Bathali said Salah, 25, was given bad advice and ‘unfortunately, [he will] bear the burden’ for it.
The Egyptian forward’s injury put him in doubt for the World Cup in Russia beginning June 14, which the preacher said would remind him everything happens by God’s will.
‘Do not think the Muslim believes that life is managed by reason and effort, but life is the hand of God comes to whom he will, whether hard or not diligent,’ he said.
‘Perhaps [the injury] is good for you.’
Egypt on Wednesday said Salah would be fit to play in some of the World Cup, as his absence ‘God willing, will not exceed the absence of three weeks’.
However, Al-Bathali said Salah was a ‘virtuous, good and respected man’ who was an ambassador for Muslims and was helping improve their image in the West.
He praised him for continuing to observe other Muslim requirements, like walking away from his teammates when they drank alcohol.
‘Do not grieve, the door of repentance is open,’ he said.
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