Salah’s injury is God’s punishment for breaking Ramadan fast, claims Islamic preacher

Kuwaiti preacher Mubarak al-Bathali claimed in a tweet that God punished Mohamed Salah for eating before the Champions League final. A Muslim preacher in Kuwait has said that Salah’s injury during the Champions League final was a punishment from God for breaking his Ramadan fast.

The striker lasted just half an hour of Liverpool's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev after being forced off with a suspected dislocated shoulder sustained during a tussle with Sergio Ramos. The 22-year-old ace will be sidelined for no more than three weeks and is expected to play a part in Egypt’s World Cup campaign.

God’s punishment

Initially, it was reported that Salah was going to continue fasting in the build-up to the Champions League final. However, Liverpool’s physiotherapist Rubén Pons later confirmed that the Egyptian would break fasting temporarily for the two days prior to the final.

Kuwaiti Muslim preacher Mubarak al-Bathali claimed in a Tweet that Salah sinned by breaking his fast for the match, adding that the Egyptian was poorly advised and that he will "unfortunately bear the burden" for it. He claimed that while Muslims are allowed to stop fasting for travel, eating and drinking in order to play a football match was "not a legitimate excuse".

"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," Al-Bathali wrote . "Perhaps (the injury) is good for you."

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The preacher also praised Salah for being an ambassador for Islam in the West and for having habits such as walking away when his team mates drink alcohol. "Do not grieve, the door of repentance is open," he concluded.

During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink from dawn to sunset, engaging in an increased prayer activity. However, fasting is only obligatory for healthy Muslims. Anyone who is suffering from an illness, traveling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding or menstruating are exempt from the practice. Shawki Allam, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, has given the entire Egyptian squad permission to postpone their fasting in the days building up to the World Cup.