Wayne Parnell turns to Islam

[MarufH]

Johannesburg - Proteas fast bowler Wayne Parnell has converted from Christianity to Islam and could in future be known as "Whallid".

"Wayne decided to follow Islam a couple of months ago," said Proteas team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee.

Moosajee rejected rumours that Parnell was "influenced" by team-mates Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir to adopt the religion.

Moosajee also could not confirm speculation that Parnell might indeed change his name to "Whallid" - which means "Great One".

"It was his own decision, but I know nothing of the name change," said Moosajee.

Several of Parnell's team-mates said on Wednesday that he is "dead-serious" about changing his religion and since the Indian Premier League he hasn't consumed alcohol at all.

In October 2009 he was dropped from of the Warriors' side after he partied until the early hours of the morning in a Port Elizabeth nightclub during the team's SuperSport series match against the Dolphins.

Source

[MarufH]

South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell has converted to Islam after a period of personal study and reflection and will celebrate his 22nd birthday on Friday as a Muslim.

Parnell confirmed in a statement on Thursday that he converted to Islamic faith in January this year and is considering a name change to Waleed, which means 'Newborn Son'.

"While I have not yet decided on an Islamic name I have considered the name Waleed which means Newborn Son, but for now my name remains Wayne Dillon Parnell. I will continue to respect the team's endorsement of alcoholic beverages. I am playing cricket in Sussex and this is my immediate focus," said Port Elizabeth-born Parnell.

"As I am approaching my first period of fasting, I ask that this special time is treated with respect. I am a young man, a professional cricketer by trade, and while I can appreciate and am grateful for the public interest in my personal life, my faith choice is a matter which I would like to keep private," said the promising Warriors left-arm seam bowler.

Proteas team manager Mohamed Moosajee, himself a Muslim, said Parnell's Muslim teammates Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir had not influenced his decision to convert from Christianity.

"Wayne already decided a few months ago to follow Islam," Moosajee said of the cricketer, who excelled during the ICC World Cup on the subcontinent.

"The decision to convert was his own decision, but I know nothing of the name change," added Moosajee.

Fellow players, preferring to remain anonymous, said they believed Parnell was very serious about his choice of religion and that he had not touched a drop of alcohol, forbidden to Muslims, since the recent Indian Premier League series.

Supporting Moosajee's denial of influence by Amla, the players said he had never attempted to convert them to his religion, although they had all been very impressed by the discipline and strict adherence that Amla showed to his religion, by refusing to participate in celebrations with them that involved liquor, staying steadfast in his daily prayers even while on tour, and refusing to wear the kit sponsored by South African beer brand Castle Lager.

In his first two years after making his debut for the Proteas in 2009, Parnell developed a hard-living reputation.

In October 2009, he was kicked out of the provincial side Warriors following an incident in a night club in the city of Port Elizabeth in the early hours of the morning.

He came to limelight when he captained the South African Under-19 team in the U-19 World Cup in 2008. He was the youngest player to get a central contract in 2009 at the age of 20 years.

He is the second Christian to have converted to Islam after Pakistan's Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammad Yousuf) in 2006.

Source

[Murad]

Thanks. Heard about it before and thought it was a rumor as nothing was confirmed.

Welcome to Islam, Whallid.

[roman]

Thanx for the news...Subhanallah

[Murad]

I will continue to respect the team's endorsement of alcoholic beverages

Hmm. Very few Muslims disrespect these endorsements. Amla is an exception. Even our Shakib respected this during the IPL. Royal Stag is a Liquor Brand in India.

[nadim 98]

Good Man!!!

[Banglaguy]

Subhanallah... And he's actually gone three months with out alcohol... Nice one mate..

[simon]

alhamdulillah

[Banglaguy]

One last thing:

Allah guides whom He wills. (2:272)

[BD_2015]

Subhanaallah ! Hope Allah gives him and us strength to stay steadfastness in deen of haq in the days of darkness untill our last breath. Amin

[hassan .r]

Originally Posted by Murad
Hmm. Very few Muslims disrespect these endorsements. Amla is an exception. Even our Shakib respected this during the IPL. Royal Stag is a Liquor Brand in India.

well what respect you are talking about brother ............. alcohol is haram in Islam .......... so we should stay away from it Hashim Bhai is doing the right thing , i hope the others also follow it ............... we cannot endorse any haram thing that is final ..........
these are the laws of ALLAH Almighty and we have to follow it

well wayne parnell will learn these things with the passage of time
he should be clearly told that alcohol is haram in islam ........ if he has accepted islam then he will have to follow the rules of
ALLAH Almighty at any cost

[MarufH]

"As I am approaching my first period of fasting, I ask that this special time is treated with respect. I am a professional cricketer, and while I am grateful for the public interest in my personal life, my faith choice is a matter which I would like to keep private,"

- Wayne Parnell. South African Fast bowler speaking after Converting to Islam.

[MohammedC]

Alhamdulillah

Posted via BC Mobile Edition (iPhone)

[Rabz]

SubhanAllah !!
May Allah guide him to the righteous path.

[Tigers_eye]

Subhana Allahi wa bi hamdi.

[Night_wolf]

SubhanAllah

may he find the true spirit of Ramadan and fast

[idrinkh2O]

Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar...indeed a great news. Welcome brother. May Allah always guide us all to the straight path...Allahumma Ameen!

[Nafi]

Originally Posted by hassan .r
well what respect you are talking about brother ............. alcohol is haram in Islam .......... so we should stay away from it Hashim Bhai is doing the right thing , i hope the others also follow it ............... we cannot endorse any haram thing that is final ..........
these are the laws of ALLAH Almighty and we have to follow it

well wayne parnell will learn these things with the passage of time
he should be clearly told that alcohol is haram in islam ........ if he has accepted islam then he will have to follow the rules of
ALLAH Almighty at any cost

There's always one post like this huh .. .... Fanatics seem so harmless these days


Anyways congratulations to Parnell, wishing a fruitful life for him in the future as a new muslim.

[BANFAN]

Congrats for reverting back to his original religion ...

[jisaan]

praiseth be the Almighty..
HE is the one who shows the RIGHT PATH

Welcome to the ultimate religion... Islam thy name!

[WarWolf]

Alhamdulilla hi Rabbil Aalamin.

May Allah protect him and us from moving away from the right path.

[shakirshuvo]

MashaAllah! May Allah (swt) grant success to brother Wayne (Walid) in this life and hereafter.

[Tiger Manc]

MashAllah! Great news! Welcome to the family! Allah subhana wa ta'ala guides to whom He wills.

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

[brockley]

I welcome his choice to choose a religion,but me i am happy as a christian,altho australia is not an overly religious country.

[Banglaguy]

Originally Posted by brockley
I welcome his choice to choose a religion,but me i am happy as a christian,altho australia is not an overly religious country.

No country is really strictly religious anymore... Maybe Vatican City, but I couldn't name many others. For example, King Abdullah of Jordan is known to consume Alcohol in a non-secular state.