Tashabbuh Bil Kuffar simply refers to imitating the ways of the Kuffar. The Quraan Sharif prohibits us from not only adopting, but even inclining towards the lifestyle of the Kuffar.

Allah Ta’ala states in the Quraan-e-Kareem,

وَلاَ تَرْكَنُواْ إِلََ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ

And do not incline (do not associate with and imitate) those who do wrong (the Kuffar) for then the fire will reach you ….

There are numerous occasions in the life of Rasulullah  where he commanded us to contradict the disbelievers; for example, by fasting on the 9th and 10th of Muharram or 10th and 11th of Muharram instead of fasting only on the 10th of Muharram as this was the practice of the Jews. The Ahle Kitaab (Jews) would delay in making Iftaar to the extent that the stars would be visible, so we have been commanded to hasten with our Iftaar and not imitate the Jews. Similarly, they never used to partake of Sehri and we have encouraged to partake of Sehri. There are many such instances where we have been commanded to oppose and contradict the ways of the disbelievers.

Now coming to your query; sports such as soccer, cricket, etc. are Kuffar sports which we as Muslims should try and avoid. If our reason for participating in sports is to keep fit then this can be easily achieved by engaging in such sports that are prescribed in Shariah such as swimming, wrestling, archery, horse riding, running, walking, etc. Due to the impermissibility of imitating the Kuffar as understood from the above verse of the Quraan, we discourage engaging in these Kuffar sports.

And Allah Ta'aala knows best!

ANSWERED BY: Mufti Mohammed Desai 

Date: 11 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1441 

English Date: 09 November 2019