Just after 10pm on a warm Friday evening Obayed Hussain stands outside the Aston Villa academy building, the North Stand of Villa Park looming behind him. He is wearing a white jubbah, the traditional robe worn by Muslim men. Just before going inside he removes it to reveal a Birmingham FA tracksuit underneath.
A bit more than an hour later the first of around 100 or so people, mostly young men, arrive to play and watch football, which they will do until around 2am. It is not the most obvious time for recreational sport but this is the Ramadan Midnight League. Conceived by Obayed and executed with the help of Villa and the local and national FAs, this is an initiative designed to help those who might not otherwise feel able to play during their Ramadan fast.
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Continue reading...from Islam | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2xWyspH
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