Saudi cleric Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar explains why watching the World Cup may cause you to be condemned to eternal torment. (Courtesy MEMRI TV.)

Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: With regard to the World Cup... Let me ask you, brother Muhammad... May Allah protect your daughter and sons, but imagine that you are about to undergo a surgical operation, and they tell you the doctor is late because he is watching the game. How would you feel?

Interviewer: Undoubtedly, very bad.

Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: OK, imagine that while paying a condolence call, one of the people gets up and turns on the TV to watch the game, and he begins to clap his hands?

Interviewer: No doubt, this is bad.

Nasser bin Sliman Al-Omar: Our brothers are being killed in all corners of the world, yet we sit down to watch the World Cup?

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You know how our sons used to admire one of the great players. You know how our sons used to admire him. He came as a guest to a certain Saudi city. He was hosted by one of the soccer clubs. They imitated him in everything, including his earring. Someone asked a young man: “Why are you wearing an earring?” He answered: “Because that player wears one.” He said to him: “But he wears it on his left ear,” so the young man moved it to his left ear. Do you know what became of this player? He became a drug addict, despite being an international player, and he began to visit the so-called Wailing Wall in Israel. This is the man admired by our sons, I’m sad to say.

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During the last World Cup, while the call for prayer was being aired on TV... the TV that was broadcasting the game announced: “We will now broadcast the call for prayer.” The ball was really close to the goal at that moment, and one guy got up and cursed the muazzin.

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I am saying to the fathers, to the mothers, and to the people who watch these games: On Judgment Day, a page in the book will be opened for you, and it will say that you sat and watched the games. Will this make you happy or miserable? Will this make you happy on Judgment Day, when you face Allah, or will you wish you had never watched these games?