Proudly Muslim Qatar has taken benefit of the World Cup to attain out to the masses of heaps of travelling fanatics to extrade minds approximately Islam or maybe make conversions. The Gulf emirate is the primary Muslim state to level a soccer World Cup and its fueloline riches have endowed it with an array of grand mosques to pique the interest of site visitors.
Canadian couple Dorinel and Clara Popa listened to the decision to prayer at an Ottoman-fashion mosque in Doha’s Katara cultural district. It is referred to as Doha’s Blue Mosque due to the luxurious mosaics of blue and pink tiles at the walls. A manual took the couple on a excursion of the intricate indoors ruled through a massive chandelier.
Dorinel Popa, a 54-year-antique accountant, stated the couple have been taking a primary examine Islam. “We have prejudice in opposition to the subculture and the humans,” due to a loss of publicity to others, he stated.
– Coffee and religion – “We have a few mind in our heads and now perhaps a number of them will extrade,” delivered his wife, a 52-year-antique doctor. The Qatar Guest Center, which supervises the Blue Mosque, has introduced dozens of Muslim preachers from round the arena to Qatar for the tournament.
Outside the mosque there are booklets in distinct languages explaining Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, together with Arabic espresso and dates. Syrian volunteer Ziad Fateh stated the World Cup is “an possibility to introduce hundreds of thousands of humans to Islam” and extrade “misconceptions” approximately a faith that many withinside the West hyperlink to radicalism.
“We give an explanation for to humans greater approximately ethics, the significance of own circle of relatives bonding, and recognize for neighbours and non-Muslims,” he delivered. Near the mosque, volunteers controlled a desk geared toward travelling girls with a signal saying: “Ask me approximately Qatar.” Those who forestall also are presented Arabic espresso.
A Palestinian volunteer, Somaya, stated maximum of the questions concerned “the veil, polygamy and whether or not girls are oppressed in Islam.” Qatar’s document on girls’s and LGBTQ rights has been closely scrutinised in reference to the World Cup. Nearby, site visitors can watch a 5 minute digital truth excursion of Islam. The marketing campaign is being pursued throughout Qatar. ‘Happiness’ in Islam –
In the Pearl district, in which many expatriates stay and common its luxurious cafes and restaurants, work of art had been painted with costs from the Prophet Mohammed urging proper morality. Upscale purchasing shops bring classified ads selling Islam. In the Souq Waqif market, in which heaps of fanatics acquire each day, unfastened books and pamphlets are left in a single alley with a signal saying: “If you are seeking out happiness… you may discover (it) in Islam”.
Near the Souq, the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Islamic Cultural Center is open 12 hours an afternoon for tours. Some Muslim leaders in Qatar have referred to as for efforts to transform travelling soccer fanatics to Islam. Sultan bin Ibrahim Al Hashemi, a professor of sharia regulation at Qatar University who heads the Voice of Islam radio station, stated the World Cup must be used to discover new converts in addition to counter Islamophobia.
Hashemi advised AFP that during his conferences with overseas fanatics: “I will provide them to transform to Islam. “If I discover the possibility, I will provide them Islam effectively and grace, and if I do now no longer discover the possibility, I will inform them which you are our visitors and our brothers in humanity.” But he pressured that Islam does now no longer be given conversion thru coercion.
Social media posts have claimed that masses of fanatics have modified religion however AFP’s fact-checking carrier has proven the ones claims are fake. An legitimate at Qatar’s ministry of spiritual endowments advised AFP that the purpose of the kingdom turned into now no longer “the variety of converts to Islam, however as a substitute the variety of people who extrade their opinion approximately it.” Fans stated they located the concept of World Cup conversions absurd. “It is a great possibility to research greater approximately Islam,” stated Petr Lulic, a 21-year-antique Croatian in Qatar together along with his own circle of relatives. “But no person embraces a brand new faith at some point of a soccer tournament.”