As midday approached, muezzins across Qatar called on Muslim soccer players, fans and officials for prayers on the first Friday of the first World Cup to be held in a Muslim country.
At the Ibrahim al-Khalil Mosque on Doha’s west bay, with its imposing minaret and carved wooden doors, they gathered for the weekly congregational prayer that many Muslims believe is obligatory.
Among the faithful were fans from Tunisia, Oman and India, a uniformed FIFA official, children dressed in French football uniforms and hundreds of men and women from hotels and nearby buildings.
Unusually for soccer, Muslim fans say the Qatar World Cup accommodated them like never before — with prayer rooms in stadiums, concessions to sell halal food and no beer-drinking fans to face in the stands after the country’s alcohol ban. Stadium.
“I came to an Islamic country to participate in the Friday prayer… That’s what makes me happy about this competition,” said Yousef al Idbari, a visiting supporter from Morocco.
Like all the other worshipers, Al Idbari took off his shoes and entered the mosque’s main prayer hall.
Islam came to the fore during the first week of the tournament with a recitation of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, at the opening ceremony and English translations of sayings and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad posted in Doha.
‘This World Cup is for me’
However, while Muslims attending games in Qatar may be enjoying a better fan experience than before, it is unclear whether this World Cup will change things for them in the long run.
“Early indications are that there is a fusion between criticism of Qatar and real hostility towards Muslims,” ​​said Imran Awan, professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, who is examining patterns of Islamophobia both online and offline to look for signs of a shift in public opinion.
Qatar has faced criticism from some countries competing in the 32-team tournament over its record on the rights of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community.
For now, Muslim fans are just enjoying an event that caters to their needs.
Ridwaan Goolam Hoosen, an avid South African football fan, is used to having to leave the grounds to find a prayer space, including at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
“You go out and miss a team goal or you miss someone getting sent off,” he told Reuters. “It feels like this World Cup is for me, it works for me, it works for me… This is the first of its kind like this,” said Goolam Hoosen.
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