20/07/2026
WHAT FIFA TAUGHT US MUSLIMS
One of the things the FIFA World Cup does every four years is expose what people truly value.
It's not just the late nights. Millions of fans sell their cars, drain their life savings, and fly across the world for a single match ticket. Some skip their own weddings. Others quit their jobs when their leave requests are denied.
ALL for a football game...
And none of it feels "extreme" to them.
Why?
Because people do difficult things effortlessly when they love something enough.
Maybe FIFA teaches us more about ourselves than it does about football.
1. "Tahajjud is too hard."
Is it?
People stay up past 3 AM for a 90-minute match, then make it to work the next morning without complaining.
The problem is not difficulty. The problem is love. If we loved standing before Allah the way we love what we love, waking up for two Rak'at before Fajr would feel like a privilege, not a burden.
2. "Memorising Qur'an is too difficult."
Football fans can tell you who scored in the 78th minute of a match played four years ago. They know the transfer fees, appearances, goals, assists, and even players' childhood stories by heart.
The human mind remembers what the heart is attached to.
If our hearts became attached to Allah and His Speech the way they are attached to things like this world cup, memorising His Book would become a joy, not a chore.
3. "I don't have time."
People find time for pre-match analysis, post-match breakdowns, podcasts, highlights, fantasy leagues, and social media debates - all around their regular lives.
Nobody finds time. We make time for what matters to us.
If seeking knowledge is always postponed, the issue isn't time management. It's priority management.
4. "Islamic courses are too expensive."
The same person who spends thousands on flights, jerseys, tickets, and subscriptions becomes suddenly cautious when it comes to spending on a beneficial Islamic course or a good set of books.
The issue was never money. It's what we believe is worth spending it on.
5. "Consistency is too hard."
Football fans don't skip matches because they aren't feeling motivated that day. Rain or shine, tired or busy - they show up.
They are not driven just by motivation. They are driven by commitment as well.
That same commitment - one page of Qur'an a day, twenty minutes of study - is what transforms a person over time.
6. "I'm too shy to talk about Islam."
People wear their team's colours everywhere. They get their favourite players tattooed on their bodies. They defend them loudly in hostile conversations.
Love manifests itself publicly - naturally, without effort.
If we feel embarrassed speaking about Allah or His religion, perhaps the attachment is not as strong as we assume.
7. "The journey is too long."
Football fans follow clubs for decades without a single trophy. They remain loyal through loss after loss, season after season.
Yet some of us expect to memorise Qur'an, learn Arabic, or become consistent in worship within a few weeks, and lose hope when it takes longer.
The people of this world are patient for trophies that gather dust on a shelf. The believer is patient for a reward that never perishes.
Allah says:
ูููู ุฅูู ููุงูู ุขุจูุงุคูููู
ู ููุฃูุจูููุงุคูููู
ู ููุฅูุฎูููุงููููู
ู ููุฃูุฒูููุงุฌูููู
ู ููุนูุดููุฑูุชูููู
ู ููุฃูู
ูููุงูู ุงููุชูุฑูููุชูู
ููููุง ููุชูุฌูุงุฑูุฉู ุชูุฎูุดููููู ููุณูุงุฏูููุง ููู
ูุณูุงูููู ุชูุฑูุถูููููููุง ุฃูุญูุจูู ุฅูููููููู
ู
ูููู ุงูููููู ููุฑูุณูููููู ููุฌูููุงุฏู ููู ุณูุจูููููู ููุชูุฑูุจููุตููุง ุญูุชููููฐ ููุฃูุชููู ุงูููููู ุจูุฃูู
ูุฑููู
"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your spouses, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the commerce you fear may decline, and the homes you cherish are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause - then wait until Allah brings about His decree." (Surah At-Tawbah 9:24)
FIFA did not teach us that people are lazy.
It taught us that human beings are capable of extraordinary sacrifice when they truly love something.
The question is not whether you can sacrifice.
You already do - every single day.
The question is: what are you sacrificing for?
If Allah were to look at your calendar, your spending, your conversations, and your late nights - what would He conclude you truly love?
Team AMAU
AMAU Academy offers online & structured learning programmes into many islamic sciences such as Aqeedah, Fiqh, Hadith, Tafseer, Arabic & more with the addition of short courses to help you become a better Muslim.
