Khaberni - Images of several players from the Egyptian team Zamalek drinking water during today's match against Otoho of Congo in the African Confederation Cup sparked widespread controversy, with the match taking place during the day of Ramadan.
Matches held overseas during the day of Ramadan have always sparked widespread controversy and questions about whether players accept breaking their fast, and sometimes the scenes captured by cameras are a subject of debate and widespread circulation.
Dar al-Ifta in Egypt has previously settled this debate by clarifying the ruling on breaking the fast by players during the day of Ramadan, explaining that the obligation is to fast "unless the player strongly believes that fasting affects his performance, and is bound by an employment contract with his club, leaving him no choice but to play matches during Ramadan."
In its fatwa published on its electronic site, it explained: "A player who is bound by an employment contract with his club is akin to a wage earner obliged to perform this work. If this work, which is linked to the contract, is his source of livelihood and he has no choice but to participate in matches during Ramadan and he strongly believes that fasting would affect his performance, then he is permitted to break his fast in this situation."
It continued: "Scholars have stated that it is permissible to break the fast for a wage earner or someone practicing a strenuous profession that fasting hinders or weakens him from his work, and it is stated in Hanafi jurisprudence that whoever leases himself for a known period -which is realized here in play and professional contracts- then comes Ramadan and he is harmed by fasting in his work, then he is allowed to break his fast, even if he has what suffices him."
The institution affirmed that "players are not allowed to break their fast just because they anticipate fatigue or hardship," and that "if a player is traveling and intends to stay in the intended country for four days or more, he is considered a resident and must fast, and is not treated as a traveler in this case."
