Muslim cleric terms Mohammed Shami a 'criminal' for consuming juice during Ramzan: 'Will have to answer to God'

India's Mohammed Shami celebrates with Rohit Sharma after dismissing Australia's Steve Smith during the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final cricket match between India and Australia, in Dubai, UAE, Tuesday, March 4. (PTI)

Ace Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami came under attack from a Muslim cleric for consuming water and juice during the semi-final clash with Australia in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.

Referring to Shami's action as a "crime under Shariat", president of All India Muslim Jamaat Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi said that Shami "will have to answer to God".

"A famous cricket personality of India, Mohammed Shami had water or some other beverage during a match. People were watching him. If he is playing, it means he is healthy. In such a condition, he did not observe 'Roza' and even had water...This sends a wrong message among people. By not keeping 'Roza', he has committed a crime. He should not do this. In the eyes of Shariat, he is a criminal. He will have to answer God," he said, according to news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Bareilly, UP: President of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi says, "...One of the compulsory duties is 'Roza' (fasting)...If any healthy man or woman doesn't observe 'Roza', they will be a big criminal...A famous cricket personality of India, pic.twitter.com/RE9C93Izl2

ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2025

The Maulana said that 'Roza' (fasting) is considered a compulsory duty and any healthy man or woman not observing 'Roza' will be seen as a "big criminal".

Shami is not the first Indian cricketer to come under attack during the ongoing Champions Trophy. During the clash with New Zealand, Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohammed had referred to skipped Rohit Sharma as "too fat for a sportsman" and "the most unimpressive captain India ever had".

"What is so world class about him when compared to his predecessors like Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid, Dhoni, Kohli, Kapil dev, Shastri & the rest! He is a mediocre captain as well as a mediocre player who got lucky to be the Captain of India," she had said in her now-deleted posts on X.

The Congress distanced itself from the remarks and said they did not reflect the party's position. Pawan Khera, chairman of the party's publicity department, said she had been asked to delete the social media posts.

"Dr. Shama Mohamed, National Spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, made certain remarks about a cricketing legend that do not reflect the party's position. She has been asked to delete the concerned social media posts from X and has been advised to exercise greater caution in the future. The Indian National Congress holds the contributions of sporting icons in the highest regard and does not endorse any statements that undermine their legacy," Khera said in a statement issued on X.