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Muslim Softball League Competes for Charity
9-23-2014
Reviving memories of golden Islamic empires, Muslims in Ontario's city of Mississauga have organized their first softball league, to strengthen ties connecting their community and channel proceeds to their own charities.
“We just want to get out there, be active, meet with new people, build camaraderie and give back to the community,” Zahid Merchant, founder and commissioner of the Brotherhood Softball League (BSL), told Brampton Guardian.
“Many of us have played in mixed (gender) leagues or work leagues, but we want to play competitive softball in a safe space where we don’t have to compromise our faith and responsibility. That’s why we created something for ourselves,” said Merchant, 34, who has had 27 hits for a 0.614 this season, making him the Mughals’ top hitter.
In the BSL league, made up of immigrant and second-generation players of South Asian and Arab descent, six teams on compete for the cup.
The teams are named after great Muslim empires and dynasties, namely: the Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mughals, Ottomans, Seljuqs and Sultans.
Though it carries on lots of baseball traditions, including trade rumors, “trash-talk” and scouting of players, the BSL league has no alcohol at the games or afterward.
Meeting every Sunday, Muslim players gather with one goal in their mind; to channel proceeds from a win to their own charities: Project Ramadan, the Muslim Welfare Centre, the Canadian Tire Jump Start Foundation, a local food bank or orphan sponsorship.
Last Sunday, players for Ottoman team, (recalling an empire that lasted from 1299 to 1923), played against the top-ranked Mughal (1526 to 1857) in the season finals at Mount Charles Park in Mississauga.
“I love the Blue Jays, but this is the next best thing,” said Teresa Jawaid, whose husband, Faraz, played on the Ottomans.
“This league is a cool idea. It gets my husband out of the house,” she added with a chuckle.
At the other end of the field, Maryam Dadabhoy and daughter Amaanah, 5, wore headscarves matching the light blue jersey of the Mughals, with her son, Belaal, 8, and nephew, Eesa, 10, in tow, waving homemade signs that said, “Let’s Go, Mughals! #1.
“We have many enthusiastic wives, screaming and shouting. This is fun and family-friendly,” said Dadabhoy.
“My friend’s husband is on the other team. So tomorrow, we both will have sore husbands, but only one will have a happy husband.”
Bonding Community
Meeting every week, Muslims praised the league idea for giving members of the community another outlet to get together at the end of a busy work week.
“Softball is a great sport to play. It’s easy on your body,” said Hashim Ghazi, who plays on the Ottomans.
“When you are not up to bat, you sit around and watch. It’s a much slower sport and you can interact with each other. It’s great for community building,” the 29-year-old Mississauga resident, a lawyer by profession, added.
Work on the league idea started last year, with the first match starting last May.
Players signed up as individuals and were then drafted by team captains to ensure more or less even skill levels on each team, and so participants could meet people they didn’t know before.
“This is very unique due to the Muslim aspect of it, but sport is just a great way to bring people out,” said Ghazi, who came up with the idea to name the teams after Islamic dynasties to honor their history and heritage.
“We always have friendly rivalries and we go after each other. But we do take our games very seriously,” added Ghazi, who plays for Project Ramadan, which delivers food baskets to people in need regardless of religious background.
Muslims make around 2.8 percent of Canada's 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the country.
A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian, and that they are more educated than the general population.
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