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[Saba Sports News] Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has strongly refuted Inzamam-ul-Haq’s “baseless” claims. Inzamam, in a video, mentioned that Harbhajan and other Indian players joined religious sessions with Maulana Tariq Jameel, suggesting they were inclined to convert to Islam.
“Maulana Tariq Jameel used to visit us everyday. We had a room for Namaz. Following the prayers, he would talk to us. After a day or two, we invited Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, and Mohammad Kaif for prayers. I noticed that 2-3 more Indian players also used to join; they won’t say the prayers but used to listen to the Maulana,” Inzamam said in the video. “Harbhajan once told me, ‘my heart says that I should agree to whatever he (Maulana) says’. I said, ‘then follow him. What is stopping you?’ Then, he replied, ‘I see you and then I stop. Your life isn’t like that’. So, it is us who are not following our religion. We are to be blamed,” he added.
Harbhajan, however, firmly denied these allegations, underscoring the importance of sensitivity and responsibility when discussing personal beliefs in sports.
In the video, Inzamam described the presence of Indian players like Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, and Mohammad Kaif in prayer sessions and claimed Harbhajan expressed interest in Maulana’s teachings, but hesitated due to perceived discrepancies in Inzamam’s religious practice.
In response, Harbhajan, known for his assertive on-field persona, questioned Inzamam’s narrative and emphasized his Indian and Sikh identity. He dismissed the claims as nonsensical, reflecting the need for clear communication and respect for individual beliefs in the sports community. Harbhajan’s rebuttal highlights the complexity of inter-religious interactions in the multicultural world of international cricket.