Karachi, January 06: Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Tournament turned historic on Tuesday when nine foreign boxers, who were Christians, embraced Islam after they were moved by the way they were treated here during their sojourn, writes Alam Zeb Safi.
Of the nine blessed pugilists, six belong to the Central African Republic and three to Cameroon. They were also given Islamic names. They were recited Kalima by Mufti of the Jamia Binoria International Muhammad Naeem during a moving ceremony held here at a local hotel yesterday. Also present on the occasion were the president of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) Doda Khan Bhutto, secretary Akram Khan and vice-president Iqbal Hussain.
After they read Kalima, they were garlanded and were offered sweets. It was a moving scene and stunning one as well as God Almighty turned their lives more bewilderingly on the platform of a big sporting extravaganza. In the end Dua was held and every one present on the occasion shook hands with the boxers and congratulated them for embracing Islam.
Speaking on the occasion Mufti Muhammad Naeem termed it an historic achievement and said that Islam would remain dominant over other religions till the Day of Judgment, while quoting a verse from the Holy Quran.
He said that after 9/11 Islam has been spreading in the world rapidly and it could be gauged from the fact that the copies of Quran are going short and the people are too anxious for getting information about Islam.
While quoting a Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) he said that Allah forbids all the sins of a human being who enters into the fold of Islam by reciting Kalima.
“Media should not show to the world one picture of Islam. No body has forced these boxers to convert into Islam but they have done so after being impressed by the behaviour of the officials of the Pakistan Boxing Federation and the Muslims in general,” he pointed out.
The coach of Central African Republic Kalambaye Mohamed, who is a born Muslim, said that they (boxers) were impressed by the behaviour of the officials of the PBF as the way they are being treated is exemplary.
‘The News’ learnt that these boxers did not change their religion (Christianity) overnight but their coach Mohamed had a major role behind it as he used to persuade them since long during his association with the team.
Mufti Naeem also told the PBF that if the federation was able to convince the boxers who have converted into Islam to stay here for few days after the completion of the tournament then he would manage to teach them the basics of Islam. The PBF officials promised to do so. However, while taking to ‘The News’, Mutfi Naeem said if these boxers did not overstay here then he would like to send few religious scholars to their own country where they would be taught about the basics of Islam.
He also stressed the need for providing more security to these new Muslims in order to avert any conspiracy.
—–Agencies