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- 50%THRILLED
- 50%INTRIGUED
- 0% FURIOUS
- 0% BORED
- 0% SAD
NFL players Hamza and Husain Abdullah recently announced that they are putting a pause in their football career for a religious obligation.
Both brothers, practicing Muslims, plan to take a holy pilgrimage to perform Hajj in Mecca in the fall, and speak at national mosques earlier in the season. Part of their plan is to also have iftar, or break their daily fast during Ramadan, at a different mosque every night.
"It has been a blessing to play in the NFL for both Husain and I," Hamza stated, "but we would be remiss if we didn't give thanks to the One who made it all possible."
The brothers’ faith has made headlines in the past—they both refrained for eating and drinking during daylight hours in Ramadan, even while participating in rigorous summer practices.
The Abdullahs hope to return to NFL, but understand that their opportunities may be limited upon their return.
According to NBC Sports, they also “hope to ‘deconstruct’ the negative connotations of Islam.”
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