Muslims ridiculed in India: Fahad Mustafa defends Waqar Younis’ Namaz comments

The actor responded to a tweet calling out Younis for his comments on Rizwan praying 'in the middle of Hindus'

After Waqar Younis’s comments on cricketer Mohammad Rizwan offering Namaz “in the middle of Hindus” attracted backlash, actor Fahad Mustafa took to Twitter to defend the former cricketer’s remarks. 

During an appearance on a local news channel, Younis said that the most satisfying thing about Pakistan’s win against India in the recent T20 match was that he offered Namaz surrounded by Hindus. Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted out a condemnation of the Younis’ remarks, writing, “For a person of Waqar Younis' stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible.” He added in a separate tweet, “We need to unite the cricket world, not divide it by religion.”

For a person of Waqar Younis' stature to say that watching Rizwan offering namaz in front of Hindus was very special to him, is one of the most disappointing things I have heard. A lot of us try hard to play such things down and talk up sport and to hear this is terrible.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 26, 2021

Bhogle’s comments were retweeted by Fahad Mustafa, who defended Younis, citing the way Muslims are treated in India. He wrote, “It’s equally hard to see muslims being portrayed as terrorists in almost every Bollywood movie for the longest. I can’t imagine how difficult and embarrassing it must be for Muslims in India to watch themselves being ridiculed like that.” 

Its equally hard to see muslims being portrayed as terrorists in almost every Bollywood movie for the longest.. I can’t imagine how difficult and embarrassing it must be for muslims in india to watch themselves being ridiculed like that.#stophypocrisy https://t.co/hr8mdQJ4ci

— Fahad Mustafa (@fahadmustafa26) October 26, 2021

Younis has since apologised for his comments, taking to Twitter to write, “In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, genuine mistake. Sports unites people regardless of race, colour or religion.”

In the heat of the moment, I said something which I did not mean which has hurt the sentiments of many. I apologise for this, this was not intended at all, genuine mistake. Sports unites people regardless of race, colour or religion. #apologies 🙏🏻

— Waqar Younis (@waqyounis99) October 26, 2021