Proudly Muslim Qatar has taken benefit of the World Cup to attain out to the loads of lots of traveling lovers to extrade minds approximately Islam or maybe make conversions. The Gulf emirate is the primary Muslim country to level a soccer World Cup and its fueloline riches have endowed it with an array of grand mosques to pique the interest of traffic.
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 called Doha’s Blue Mosque due to the splendid mosaics of blue and red tiles at the walls. A manual took the couple on a excursion of the complex indoors ruled with the aid of using a massive chandelier.
Dorinel Popa, a 54-year-antique accountant, stated the couple have been taking a primary have a take a observe Islam. “We have prejudice towards the tradition 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,” brought his wife, a 52-year-antique doctor. The Qatar Guest Center, which supervises the Blue Mosque, has delivered dozens of Muslim preachers from round the sector to Qatar for the tournament.
Outside the mosque there are booklets in specific languages explaining Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, along side Arabic espresso and dates. Syrian volunteer Ziad Fateh stated the World Cup is “an possibility to introduce tens of thousands and 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 extra approximately ethics, the significance of own circle of relatives bonding, and appreciate for neighbours and non-Muslims,” he brought.Near the mosque, volunteers controlled a desk geared toward traveling ladies 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 ladies are oppressed in Islam.” Qatar’s file on ladies’s and LGBTQ rights has been closely scrutinised in reference to the World Cup.
Nearby, traffic 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 pricey cafes and restaurants, work of art had been painted with charges from the Prophet Mohammed urging correct morality. Upscale purchasing shops convey classified ads selling Islam.
In the Souq Waqif market, in which lots of lovers accumulate each day, unfastened books and pamphlets are left in a single alley with a signal saying: “If you are seeking out happiness… you may locate (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 known as for efforts to transform traveling soccer lovers 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 have to be used to locate new converts in addition to counter Islamophobia.
Hashemi advised AFP that during his conferences with overseas lovers: “I will provide them to transform to Islam. “If I locate the possibility, I will provide them Islam simply and grace, and if I do now no longer locate the possibility, I will inform them which you are our visitors and our brothers in humanity.”
But he confused that Islam does now no longer be given conversion via coercion. Social media posts have claimed that loads of lovers have modified religion however AFP’s fact-checking carrier has proven the ones claims are fake.
An legitimate at Qatar’s ministry of non secular endowments advised AFP that the intention of the country changed into now no longer “the quantity of converts to Islam, however instead the quantity of people who extrade their opinion approximately it.” Fans stated they observed the concept of World Cup conversions absurd.
“It is a great possibility to research extra 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 all through a soccer tournament.”