Asking players to ‘put team first’ not disbelief

9-3-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. I was with my soccer team in a group, and the coach said to "keep putting the team first." If I remain silent in this situation, does this mean that I approve of what he said? I do not know if what he said was disbelief. Is it disbelief by remaining silent in a situation in which there is disbelief present in words or actions? If someone remains silent in a situation like this but disapproves of it in his heart, is that sufficient? For example, is eating in a restaurant where there are Hindu statues disbelief? Please help, I am very worried. May Allaah reward you immensely, Allaah willing.
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

It is obvious that you are affected with Waswaas (obsessive doubts) about disbelief, and this is a very serious matter. So you have to ignore these doubts, repel them, and not pay any attention to them.

What that coach said is not disbelief; he only wanted to say that the team should be given priority so that the players make every effort in doing what they are required to do towards it, and this is what appears from his words, which do not include disbelief in any way.

In case you hear that of which you are certain that it is Kufr (disbelief), then you have to deny that if you are able to do so, and if you are unable, then you are not sinful.

If you remain silent while you are able to deny that, it is not disbelief, but it is a disobedience for which you bear sin.

As regards eating in a restaurant in which there are statues that are worshiped instead of Allah, then this is not disbelief as well, but it is not permissible for you to sit in places where other than Allah is worshiped while you are able to sit in other places.

So if you find restaurants that are free from these evils, you can eat in them, and if you do not find other places, then you are not sinful, Allah willing.

Allah knows best.

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