PRIANGANTIMURNES–The grand stage of the World Cup often becomes an arena for clashes of emotions, tactics and horizontal ambitions between countries.
This four-yearly football tournament is not just a showcase for eleven players on the green field, but a global cultural festival where national identity is at stake.
However, behind the noisy cheers of the audience and the rivalry of the round skin on the world stage, there is a scene full of spiritual meaning which confirms that sport has never been truly separated from absolute divine values.
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An unusual sight sparked global public attention when the Saudi Arabian national team prepared to face Uruguay in one of the prestigious matches in the World Cup group stage.
If usually in pre-match ceremonies the giant flags of the two countries are stretched horizontally touching or parallel to the surface of the field, this is not the case with the flag of the team nicknamed ‘The Green Falcons’.
The green flag was still flown upright, strictly guarded so that it was not placed in contact with the stadium grass from the start.
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Reported by Priangantimurnews from the upload of the Instagram account @ruanghijrahofficial, this special procedure which appears in contrast is not a form of sporting arrogance, but rather a form of total obedience to royal law which is rooted in noble values of faith.
The secret lies in the visual anatomy of the Saudi Arabian national flag itself. On the cloth with a dark green background, a string of monotheism sentences are magnificently engraved which is the most basic foundation for billions of Muslims throughout the world:
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِ
(“Laa ilaaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah”)
There is unparalleled theological affirmation there; that there is no God who has the right to be worshiped properly except Allah, and the Prophet Allah is His messenger.
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Sentences that include the holy name اللَّهُ are strictly prohibited from experiencing degradation of honor, no matter how small the form.
Based on the official constitution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this sacred symbol is prohibited from touching the surface of land, water, or being treated in any way that can reduce its glory.
Interestingly, this sacred rule does not necessarily damage the principle of equality in major official tournaments under the auspices of FIFA. In order to maintain harmony and fair sportsmanship, the organizing committee took elegant diplomatic steps.
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The flag of Uruguay, the opponent, was also raised and flown vertically in the same manner. As a result, the two national flags both fluttered gracefully in the air throughout the series of national songs.
This unique phenomenon in the international arena proves sharply that adherence to religious values does not have to sacrifice sportsmanship.
It is precisely through this respect for procedural differences that football is transformed into an extraordinarily universal cultural bridge.
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The essence of the events in the middle of the World Cup gridiron leads us to a sharp realization: that above all the man-made laws of the game and the fanaticism of victory, there are sacred boundaries that must be upheld.
When the name of Allah is engraved on the highest peak of the banner of a nation, then all worldly affairs including ninety minutes on the green field must submit and pay respect to His majesty.
This incident leaves a deep message that even in secular competition, space to glorify the Creator always finds a grand way.***
