Fatwa n° 406
Category: Fatwas about clothes
The ruling concerning wearing a sport T-shirt
belonging to a European team
Question:
Is it permissible to wear a T-shirt belonging to a European team after obliterating the emblem representing the team?
Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers until the Day of Resurrection:
You have to know -may Allah guide you- that imitating the disbelievers in what belongs to their characteristics is considered as one of the aspects of allegiance to them; whether this consists of imitating them in their acts of worship such as the rituals of their religion or in their traditions, lifestyles, line of conduct and their morals such as shaving the beard and letting the moustache grow longer, or in their garment styles, way of speaking, their accent except what is needed, their way of eating and drinking that distinguishes them. This belongs to the prohibited imitation stated in his saying صلَّى الله عليه وآله وسلَّم: “Whoever imitates a folk, he is then one of them” (1). With that in mind, wearing the sport T-shirt bearing an emblem representing a European team belonging to the clubs of disbelief is not excluded from this meaning, even if the emblem representing the team is obliterated, the T-shirt still belongs to their characteristics since it is commonly known through its colors and shape that it represents that club of disbelief. In short, imitating them in their look which goes in contradiction with our Shari’a (Islamic Law), or in what belongs to their characteristics as regards religious and worldly matters, indicates [for sure] affection to them, and Allah عزّ وجلّ forbade the believer to consider the disbelievers as allies and showing affection to them. He عزّ وجلّ said:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاء تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءكُمْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ﴾ [الممتحنة: 1.[
The meaning of the verse:
﴾Ô you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth ﴿[Al-Mumtahana: 1].
Allah عزّ وجلّ said also:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا اليَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُم مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ لاَ يَهْدِي القَوْمَ الظَالمِينَ﴾ [المائدة: 51].
The meaning of the verse:
﴾Ô you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as allies, they are but allies of each other. And if any amongst you takes them as allies, then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allah guides not those people who are unjust)﴿ [Al-Mâ’ida: 51].
The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ; and our last prayer is all the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers of Allah are to Muhammad and his Family, Companions and Brothers until the Day of Resurrection.
Algiers on: Safar 13th, 1427 H
Corresponding to March the 13th, 2007 G.