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The Height of Absurdity: BILD Implies Chikhaoui is a Supporter of Muslim Extremism

February 20th, 2008 | By: Rami | 21 Comments »

On the eve of the the second leg of the UEFA cup clash between Hamburg and FC Zurich, Yassine Chikhaoui gave an interview to the german magazine BILD in which he was baited into answering a question regarding the Danish Cartoon controversy. Here is the question and response (please bear in mind that I relied on both google translate and Germans friend’s interpretation). Furthermore it should be noted that the initial interview was in French (would’ve been nice to have that one). So that’s two layers of translation already. Basically what I’m saying is this isn’t word for word what was said but it’s an approximation and it has the basic ideas…

Q: in Denmark newspapers have again published caricatures of the Islamic prophet Mohamed.

Chikhaoui: I’m aware of that. Now cars are being burned and there are people that want to kill the cartoonist.

Q: As a Muslim what is your position on that issue?

Chikhaoui: I think that is normal. People are angry and pissed off. It would not be ok if we would make caricatures of Jesus. Religion is important for all of us. For me, for you, for Jews. For a Muslim these caricatures are awful. Hence i understand the reaction.”

Q: Do you understand and do you find it right that the cartoonist should be killed?

Chikhaoui: Whether he should be killed? I don’t wanna say if that is correct, to kill him. That is the matter of God’s decision.

When proclamations are put out that way, a question arises: you as a player, do you sympathize with the radical Muslims?

Chikhaoui’s advisor Carlos Fleischmann intervenes: That is not what Chikhaoui said.

Since then, the interview has made headlines in other magazines and Chikhaoui’s advisors have threatened to sue BILD.

While I concede that Yassine could have used his words more strategically and unequivocally denounced the mere thought of murdering a cartoonist over his ability to exercise free speech, the misunderstanding also lies in the translation of the arab equivalent of”that is a matter for god’s decision.” He is basically just saying it’s not my problem, I am not the one to judge. It’s impossible for us to read his mind but Islam means peace and surrender to god and that is exactly what he was doing in that instance and how he lives his life in general.

Frankly, this isn’t surprising from a publication that is known for sensationalism and exaggeration. Much like the UK’s Daily Mirror or Sun, BILD isn’t exactly the bastion of journalistic integrity. They are useful for raunchy newsbits that wouldn’t print anywhere else and rumors etc. Somehow, In two sentences the man goes from a peaceful devout Muslim to a espouser of Radical Islam. Reading the transcript I find it readily apparent that Chikhaoui disagrees with the caricature and is offended by it, that’s it. The rest is conjecture as far as I’m concerned. While I don’t want to delve fully into the initial controversy surrounding the cartoons, I will say that I think a lot of people who don’t understand Islam fail to grasp just how much a depiction of the Prophet offends a Muslim person. Islam forbids idolatry and any kind of visualization of the prophet or God (whether favorable or unfavorable). In the simplest of terms, it’s a big no no.

If Chikhaoui was off the mark in the interview, it came when he compared this to a theoretical caricature of Jesus that he felt would equally offend Christians. I disagree because Christians already depict Jesus. In Islam it is strictly forbidden to even try to describe the prophet physically. Trying to equate the two just doesn’t work. Nevertheless, I understand his point. It’s evident that he’s just talking about mutual respect.

Meanwhile, the seeds of the Chikhaoui debate had already been sown in a previous issue where they were singing his praises. I talked about in a post from a few days ago. They were likening him to Zidane but underneath his picture they put, “the devout muslim.” While factually correct, I found it a strange way to describe Chikhaoui in that article that wasn’t about religion but merely focused on the eventual transfer to Germany and the upcoming Hamburg game. It just rubbed me the wrong way. Seems that someone at BILD is fascinated by the prospect of having such a talented Muslim playing in the Bundesliga next year and is hell bent on just focusing on this aspect of his personality rather than his soccer skills.

Unlike the earlier report on Swiss television about Chikhaoui’s impressive performances during the holy month of Ramadan (which was done in good taste as far as I could tell), this scrutiny from BILD strikes me as being misplaced. Another publication wondered whether this would affect his transfer. I find that to be a laughable assertion as most managers aren’t known to listen to this nonsense. If you wanted to get technical, Chikhaoui is a coach’s dream since he’s married and he doesn’t drink alcohol. That cuts out a lot of distractions for any 21 year old. As far as I know his only addiction is playstation!

While Chikhaoui is no stranger to the spotlight, it is set to intensify over the coming years and he’ll be dealing with misinterpretations and misquotations. Speaking your mind is fine and I applaud honesty but there’s also ways to shield yourself from this kind of scrutiny too. The best reply to this will be a standout performance tomorrow against Hamburg. That is, after all, where we care most about what he has to say.

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Comments

By Soccer » The Height of Absurdity: BILD Implies Chikhaoui Could be a Radical … | February 20th, 2008 at 5:01 pm

[...] Rami wrote an interesting post today on The Height of Absurdity: BILD Implies Chikhaoui Could be a Radical …Here’s a quick excerptOn the eve of the the second leg of the UEFA cup clash between Hamburg and FC Zurich, Yassine Chikhaoui gave an interview to the german magazine BILD in which he was baited into answering a question regarding the Danish Cartoon … [...]

By Hatim | February 20th, 2008 at 9:03 pm

Rami..you should be working for the washington post or something. Great explanation of what happened. Again, you are a great writer.

Posted from United States

By Skander | February 21st, 2008 at 5:40 am

If the translation of Yassine’s answer is correct:
“Chikhaoui: Whether he should be killed? I don’t wanna say if that is correct, to kill him. That is the matter of God’s decision.”
Then he should have known better, just as many Europeans and Americans fail to see just how offensive the cartoons are for Muslims, Arabs and Muslims should realize just how important freedom of speech is for western society. He should have at least paid lip service to the cartoonist right to criticize religion without receiving death threats. But then he is only 21 and doesn’t exactly have a degree in PR. I guess it was just unfair for the reporters to try to set him up that way. And I disagree with you Rami, I think this might have an impact on his career.

Posted from Japan

By Rami | February 21st, 2008 at 7:56 am

Hatim: Thank you so much for your compliment. It means a lot to me. Writing this one actually took quite some time because I wanted to strike a balance between defending him and being unbiased too. I had so many reactions to what was written and his words, it was hard to level them off.

Skander: Chikhaoui didn’t choose the perfect words but already even swiss newspapers are defending him and are calling the interview a sham. They know he’s no Muslim extremist and so do we. I don’t know if it will impact his career, a lot of players have said more controversial things and have ended up in big clubs. Look at Oleguer with the Catalan independence comments, or Di Canio with his right wing comments. They still played in pretty big clubs. I’m not equating what Chikhaoui said with Di Canio because it’s not on the same level. Although you’re right because it has to do with Islam which is a big fear factor for a lot of Europeans.

Still, anyone who is interested enough in Yassine’s talent to do some research on the kid and his lifestyle will find out really quickly that the label “Muslim Extremist” is way off the mark. One thing it does do is add media pressure, and he hasn’t reacted as well as I’d liked to it so in that sense you’re right. As far as impacting where he will go I just don’t see people basing their opinion of him on this one interview. Recruiters and managers are no strangers to these types of situations. And if they decide Yassine doesn’t deserve to play for them only based on this then he shouldn’t be going to the team in question anyway. I trust there will still be lots of takers at the end of this season. Todays game just got a lot bigger though. We’ll just have to wait and see how this plays out. I have hope that people, no matter their background, will look past this. It is worrying nevertheless. Inshallah labes.

By Daily Dose 2.21.08 - World Cup Blog - African Cup of Nations 2008 | February 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am

[...] Yassine Chikhaoui vs BILD (Tunisia Blog) [...]

Posted from United States

By Bman | February 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pm

The artical bringing up Religion in an interview with a footballer is about as misplaced as posters that brought up religion on their comments in this blog a few weeks ago. Football is football. Religion is unrelated.

Chikhaoui and any footballer should refrain from answering any religious questions. He was definitly baited, and he sort of fell for it. As you see , the magazine highlighted the religious aspect of the interview instead of the football aspect.

Posted from United States

By Laurie | February 21st, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Chikhaoui and any footballer should refrain from answering any religious questions.

Yes. And the sooner he realizes he’s a public figure, and every word he utters will be scrutinized, the better.

Posted from United States

By Rami | February 21st, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Bman and Laurie, thanks for the comments… I agree with both of you. He certainly should have known not to answer this type of question. However, the thing with BILD is that they’ve been focusing on the fact that he’s a Muslim from the second he started making a name for himself at Zurich. Every damn picture has a heading like “the faithful Muslim” or something of the like. I don’t see all of Kaka’s pictures being underlined by “The Evangelical Christian” or whatever. They just talk about his football. Curiosity is one thing but making it a headline time and time again just gets old. Chikhaoui definitely fanned the flames with those comments but I don’t expect him to be doing that again anytime soon.

Posted from United States

By Magnusson | February 21st, 2008 at 5:54 pm

Absolutely sir.
I was not shocked when Kaka removed his shirt with “I belong to jesus” on it. People are acting like being a devout muslim is a bad thing and being a devout christian is acceptable somehow. Remember the pictures of the 202 Wc after brazil won and the whole team in the middle holding hnds and I like that image. NOw on french Tv, they are trying to ban pictures of Anelka, Ribery, Abidal, Nasri and every other mslim praying before the game and stuff. I would like the freedom of speech and of religion to go all the way. This has a connotation I don’t like one bit. Playing on the current hate of anything muslim to antigonize one player is nauseating.

Posted from France

By Laurie | February 22nd, 2008 at 12:03 am

Massaer, do you have any news articles on the attempt to ban pictures of Muslim players praying? This would make an interesting story.

Posted from United States

By tamim | February 22nd, 2008 at 3:24 am

i wasn’t surprised, though it is strange to discribe him as an extremist only because he is a good follower to his religion (maybe it is his beard). anyway, germany is prominent for this racial practices that’s why i prefer that he doesn’t go play there. MIDO had a similar story when the fans recieved him at shiefelled united with a chant “shw shw bomber your mother is a terrorist”!!! and again newcastle fans recieved him with racial chants which led him to react after scoring putting his finger infront of his mouth to tell them to shut up., despite the fact that mido is barely considered a regular muslim. it is just the fact that he is egyptian, consequently arab and muslim!!. i really don’t know how can a person play or work in such an atmosphere!!.only one question in mind, why didn’t they do the same with mohamed zidan although he played both in denmark and germany!!!

By tamim | February 22nd, 2008 at 4:32 am

please rami, tell me where i can get more info about this, if you can give me a link to the interview article, thank you

By Rami | February 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 am

Hey Tamim, here’s the link to the entire interview (it’s in german though so you’ll have to rely on a translating website, not perfect by any means):

http://www.blick.ch/sport/fussball/superleague/das-ist-sache-gottes-83867

they’re focusing on Chikhaoui and not other Muslim players because he’s young, he actually practices the religion (prays five times a day, doesn’t drink alcohol) he’s a star in Switzerland, and he’s on the rise. Plus he’s a tall imposing figure who lets his beard grow and if he has a beard he must be a terrorist! It’s completely ridiculous. They focus so much on this, it’s disgusting. In a german play by play when he came onto the field after being bandaged since he started bleeding from his head after a collision with a hamburg defender they wrote (he comes back with a TURBAN on the place!). Keep in mind that’s a babelfish translation of German eurosport play by play. Not sure if it’s just a bad translation of if it was deliberate. There’s been an outpouring of support for Chikhaoui on multiple forums around the web which is comforting but these tabloids clearly don’t want to see a faithful Muslim rise to stardom. As I said, the focalisation on his religion started well before this interview. I hope this doesn’t make him lose his focus. Yesterday he didn’t look disturbed at all and put in a good performance.

Posted from United States

By skander | February 24th, 2008 at 11:24 am

All this is because of his beard! Can’t he just shave it!

Posted from Sweden

By skander | February 24th, 2008 at 11:31 am

It doesn’t even fit on his face

Posted from Sweden

By Rami | February 25th, 2008 at 10:02 am

LOL, it’s not JUST because of the beard but that probably adds to people identifying him as a Muslim (or a radical one or whatever). It’s absolutely ridiculous but its not the only basis. Plus he shouldn’t have to do anything to his body just to please other people. Whether it looks good or not is not the issue. It’s part of his religious practices so we have to respect it.

Posted from United States

By elfahem mongi | February 25th, 2008 at 8:13 pm

yassine chikaoui c est un homme digne un joueur croyant .crois en dieu et a son prophete mohammed ppsl .ont n acceptera jamais que une bande des voyoux danois excuser moi le danmark specialiste de creation des imbiciles une fabrication sans enorme europeens xxxxxxxxxx.qui ont pas ni principes dans la vie ni croyance.des betes. j ai preparer des dessins animés montres leur reine se faire eeeeeeeeeee par deriere par un chien. et leurs 1 ministre suce la pppppppppppp de oussama ben ladin sur le drapeau danois .je veux savoire la reaction de ces hommesexuels qui ont a rien afaire que toucher les sentiments sperituls des mesulmans et autres. ont sait tres biens que ces patards ces clochards leurs salaire ne depasse pas 1000 euro.ya ces ordures comme qui s interesses a ces dessins bidon.et le niveau le plus bas de europe au danmark.pays de fromage c est a cause de ca sont xxxxxxx. nous les mesulmans. nous sommes fier de notre islam et de notre prophete ppsl.ainsi avec de tous les prophetes.nous respetons toutes les religions ont sait que sont tous envoyer par dieu jalla jalalouho pour sauver humanitee de l inogrance et des sauvages et des canibales comme cette bande des clochards et hommosexuels danois.nous somme fier de notre fils yassine. sacher une chose la signification du prénom yassine c est quoi . la sourat yassine… la clef du couran. yassine a reagi avec fiertee. yassine croit en dieu n est pas fanatique comme vous nue bande lachéés par votre societee danoise.vous parler de la libertee de l expression et drois de l hommes les vaches ont plus de droits que vous.bande des inognorants sacher une chose nous mesulman. ont donne pas d importance a des minables comme vous ce que je vous conseille d allez contacter la chaine tv. xxl. a besoin des dessinateurs hommosexuels comme vous.vous trouverais votre comptes xxxxxxxx bravo yassine. tu un jeune mesulman tres moderés .civilisé intellectuel.simpole d education arabo islamique tu est courageux.dans tes interventions de presse et de foot .applique et nous aussi les chiens danois aaaaaaaaaaaaa la gravane islamique passe donne nous de plus de tes qualitees magique comme un super- mane du foot arabe africain mesulman.marque des buts.. que dieu te protegera . nous sommes avec toi .1000 bravo pour le superbe but contre nos frers camerounais a la can ghana .tous les tunisiens.les maghrebins.les arabes les africains est.1.250.000.000 mesulmans sont tres fierts de toi et de aboutrika.meilleur joueur de la gan 2008. ton papa el fahem mongi agent des joueurs.eljadida maroc

By elfahem mongi | February 27th, 2008 at 6:56 pm

yassine chikhoui le chouchou du foot tunisien. n explosera pas son thecnique tant que zidane arabo-africain-mesulman en allemagne .sa place a la barsa .ou inter de milan .ou le real de madrid inchallah .les derigents du club bavaroi connaisses tres tres biens les qualitees et la thecnique magique de ce ange de foot.tunisien yassine chikhoui. fonts de la propa xxxxxxxxxxxxx notre chouchou est encore jeune a tous le temps devant lui.saches tres biens la porformance de karim hagui et jawher lemnari qui laisses notre prince de foot qui fait pas pitiee au deffenseurs ni au gardiens tranquille qui ailles cuires un oeuf au fromage pourri danois .elfahem mongi agent des joueurs eljadida maroc

By Aljazeera Adds It’s Two Cents to the Chikhaoui Debate - Tunisia - African Cup of Nations 2008 - World Cup 2010 | February 28th, 2008 at 3:59 pm

[...] 28th, 2008 | By: Rami | No Comments » I had been wondering why nobody was picking up this story in the Arab world besides on forums and blogs and sure enough Aljazeera has given it some [...]

Posted from United States

By elfahem mongi | March 1st, 2008 at 8:36 am

cher yassine je te conseil de ne pas donner d importance pour tous ce taralelli xxxxxxxxxx c est une experiance pour avenire sache une chose ce genrs d affaire tombe que sur des joueurs celebres pas a n importes qui xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx nous sommes dans le milieu depuis plus 25 ans .j ai entendu que tu vat poursuiver le journal bild en justice c est un mauvais proces je te conseil. ton manager avec tous mes respect pour lui a rien dans cette affaire que te conseiller si a du bagage dans la tete.ou si ta un bon manager bien connu dans le melieu comme michel haddad un compatriote tunisien ou gourbis………. les autres c est des agents xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx hat ma andek .tu dois avoir un manager de gros calibre …. tu est grand. te faut un manager caustaux xxxxx pas un manager made in ex republique de yogoslavie… qui a roder en tunisie ou de 3 gategorie xxxxx ont tous ca. ta pas besoin de manager ta besoin d un bon avocat manager .ya une a lausane . si tu veut classer complettement cette affaire ta ca envoyer 4 ou 6 jolis buts dans le filets tres bientots vont venire encore vers toi la tu peut marquer ton but contre bild . c est un journal de sacandal .de sex .ext nous avons fait notre devoir envers toi tu notre fils .bouche les oreilles et marque des buts .tu verra …. elfahem mongi player manager eljadida maroc

By jean marc | March 8th, 2008 at 8:45 am

merci vivement mr elfahem. chikaoui c est un super star comme en europe ont aimes pas les joueurs africains mieux que les joueurs au yeux bleu… les europeens c est eux les fondateurs du fanatisme la guerre des eqlises a duree plus 400 ans.. ousama ben ladin made in oncle sam quant le chien se torne contre c est son maitre …… c est la rage. nous mesulmans et crethiens de afrique ont cherches que la paix rien que la paix. veut fermer leurs frontieres contre nous dieu merci ont a de quoi a manger et boire pour des siecles nous sommes des croyants ont crois en dieu n crace a notre croyance quont affrontes nos problemes . svp laisser les prophetes de dieu tranquilles vous les sans religions pauvres danois. occuper vous de vos vacheset votre fromage qui est devenu pourri a cause de vos idees de fanatisme .en avant chicaoui tu est avec dieu dieu sera toujours avec toi. bouche tes oreilles encore merci mr elfahem que tous le monde t aime en afrique surtout en cote ivoire. jean marc abidjan cote ivoire

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