Not “Brajentina” — Let Our Identity Be the Ummah

When something has become rotten and unstable—so weak that it may collapse at any moment—it needs support to keep standing. But that support must itself be strong. If the support is weak and decayed, how can it hold anything else together?

Today, many of us, especially Bengali Muslims, have become emotionally divided over two foreign football teams, as if our honor, happiness, and identity depend on their victories and defeats. Yet the reality is that the teams we passionately defend have no personal connection with us, no responsibility toward us, and no concern for our lives.

When one team loses, we become heartbroken. When the other wins, we celebrate in the streets. Social media turns into a battlefield of arguments, insults, and hostility. Yet none of this benefits us in this world or in the Hereafter.

Islam teaches us to live a life of purpose. Every moment, every word, and every action of a Muslim will be accounted for before Allah. Therefore, becoming excessively occupied with matters that neither strengthen our faith, improve our character, nor benefit society is contrary to the spirit of Islam.

Allah, the Exalted, says in the Qur'an:

﴿وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا﴾

"And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who do not engage in falsehood, and when they pass by idle talk or vain activities, they pass by with dignity."

(Surah Al-Furqan 25:72)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«مِنْ حُسْنِ إِسْلَامِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ»

"Part of the perfection of a person's Islam is leaving that which does not concern him."

(Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 2317)

This does not mean that Islam completely prohibits sports, physical exercise, or lawful recreation. Islam allows beneficial physical activities and permissible entertainment. However, when sports become a person's identity; when they lead to hatred, neglect of prayer, waste of time, unnecessary spending, and when being a supporter of Brazil or Argentina becomes more important than being a member of the Muslim Ummah, then it is time for sincere self-reflection.

Have we ever asked ourselves why we become so passionate about waving the flag of a foreign country, while showing little enthusiasm for raising the banner of our own faith?

Today, we proudly call ourselves "Brazil supporters" or "Argentina supporters." Yet our true identity should be that of the Muslim Ummah.

The people we admire so passionately neither know us nor concern themselves with our lives. Their victories and defeats bring no real change to our worldly affairs or our Hereafter. Yet we spend our precious time, energy, emotions, and even damage our relationships over something that has no lasting benefit.

Sadly, we often jump, shout, argue, and fight over matters that are of no real necessity—behaving foolishly without realizing how valuable our time truly is.

Let each of us ask ourselves:

Are my time, energy, and emotions being invested in what pleases Allah, or are they being wasted on temporary entertainment?

May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge, protect us from idle and fruitless pursuits, enable us to use our time in righteous deeds, and make our greatest identity not "Brajentina," but Islam and the Muslim Ummah.

Āmīn.