00:00First of all, can you tell me all about observing, how observing Ramadan changes the daily schedule of a footballer?
00:09Well, it changes it quite a bit.
00:14I'd probably say a lot of your morning routine is what is changed.
00:20Instead of probably, you know, getting a little lying, you are having to wake up a little bit earlier.
00:27Depending on what time cutting the fast is, right now it's about 5.20, 5.30.
00:34So it would require me waking up maybe 30 minutes to an hour before to make sure that, you know,
00:41I get the appropriate fluids, the appropriate food on board.
00:46And then after that, we can pray and then start fasting.
00:49And can you tell me a bit about how Ramadan and how fasting impacts you as a football player?
00:55Obviously, you're a striker, especially your physical game.
00:58Yeah, it's tough for me, especially the 3 p.m. kickoffs.
01:01They are a bit hard.
01:04You know, before we've even started the game, when we're going out to warm up, I'm already thirsty.
01:09You know, throat is dry.
01:11But, you know, it's good because, you know, you build your mentality as well, you know, during this time as
01:21well.
01:21So, yeah, no, it's tough, but the mental rewards of doing it and the spiritual gains of it as well
01:28are definitely rewarding, especially after Ramadan finishes.
01:32And you've played for quite a few different clubs, Dulwich Hamlet, Enfield, now Midstone United.
01:38Throughout your career, have clubs always been understanding of the significance of Ramadan, especially, you know, from when you were
01:44a young player all the way to now?
01:48Not so much at Dulwich Hamlet, only because of the reason I can't remember fasting while I was there anyway.
01:55But Enfield, they were understanding, you know, they didn't take me fasting for weakness.
02:04In fact, they saw it as strength, and it's the same at Maystone.
02:07You know, it hasn't stopped them from playing me or treating me any different.
02:13If anything, they make sure that, you know, they're quite accommodating, and they make sure that anything that I need
02:18personally, whether it's on the pitch, off the pitch, anything to make my life easier during Ramadan, they make sure
02:24that it's done.
02:27Amazing.
02:28We've touched on the physical impact of fasting.
02:31Is there a mental impact as well?
02:32You spoke about that.
02:34Spirituality.
02:34Tell us a bit more about that.
02:36Yeah, of course, you know, before I get onto the spiritual side of things, you know, mentally, just knowing that,
02:42you know, if I can do 60 or 75 or 90 minutes, not eating, drinking for 10, 12 hours, then,
02:52you know, I can do anything, you know?
02:55You know, you know, we seem to think as humans that we need these things constantly, but I think it
03:01just goes to show that you can put your body under different stresses or different challenges, and you are definitely
03:09stronger than you think.
03:09Like, there's just loads of things I can get into spiritually, loads of things, but, for example, you know, during
03:17Ramadan, we have to do, give charity, you know, we have to go to the mosque and pray around eight
03:24or nine and do longer prayers.
03:27You know, those are the things that help me connect with my Lord, you know, helping other people, putting a
03:33smile on their face, whether that's through, you know, a smile or doing something good for them,
03:39or even something that, you know, scoring a goal that, you know, makes people happy as well.
03:43So, yeah.
03:47Yeah.
03:49I see.
03:50There's something else I wanted to touch on.
03:51Recently, sections of fans at Leeds Elland Road Stadium actually booed while play was paused for players to break their
03:58fast.
03:58What more do you think should be done to fight against these negative reactions?
04:04Wow.
04:05It's a really good question.
04:09Education, I'd probably say, because when you look at it, at the grand scheme of things, what they've done doesn't
04:19really make sense, does it?
04:21So, I think personally, and I'm really big on that, I think it's important to educate people.
04:27Maybe some people don't know.
04:28You know, if you educate them, you speak to them about it, then the choice is theirs.
04:35They can either, you know, choose to understand and be accommodating, or they can not.
04:42You know, this is not a religion that we try and force onto people, but I think human decency is,
04:50or the basic one, is to understand and treat everyone with respect.
04:55So, let's explain.
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