Ramadan On. How Will Hamza Do? (And Harris?)

[telluride]

This update on Abdualla and Ryan Harris' Ramadan approach:

Broncos safety Hamza Abdullah rises each day at 4:30 a.m. to begin his observation of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar. During a 30-day period that began Thursday, Abdullah and other Muslims fast from dawn to sunset each day.

Working in one of the most physical of athletic pursuits, Abdullah will not eat or drink during daylight hours to show discipline and gratitude.

"So I start my day at 4:30, but I've been doing it since I was 7 years old, so 17 years now," Abdullah said. "It can be difficult, but really it's a mental thing. It was difficult at times growing up, because you're in the public school system and kids around you are eating their lunch, getting ready to go out to recess and things like that.

"But you understand why you're doing it and in terms, physically, of what we're doing here, I just try to hydrate myself as much as possible early and at night."

Broncos rookie tackle Ryan Harris, also a Muslim, said he had not fasted during his time at Notre Dame but has decided to fast this month after talking to Abdullah about how to approach the next four weeks while maintaining his weight during the football season.

Harris will return to practice soon. He had surgery July 27 to repair a herniated disk in his lower back and is almost ready to get back on the field.

"This is the first year since high school that I've done it, and I did it because Hamza does do it and he gave me some pointers," Harris said. "I've kept my weight up, I haven't had any issues. The big thing for me is when I start practicing again."

Harris, like Abdullah, rises early to get breakfast before sunrise, an adjustment for him since "I'm usually not a breakfast guy."

"The month is to remember your blessings and the things that are important to you," Harris said. "I'm going to try to fast, but I know I can do that by other means as well. But Ramadan is to remember that there are a lot of people who (fast) not by choice. You realize how lucky you are. A lot of people go without."

It will be interesting to see if Abdullah's play drops off, especially now that Bates is taking Lynch off the field more often and inserting Hamza. Abduallah had a lousy game last week, before the fasting started, so I hope it doesn't decline from there.

I remain impressed by his devotion, and very very skeptical that any pro football player can maintain peak performance while not eating or drinking for 12 hours and 24 minutes on game day. (Sunrise, 6:46 am; sunset, 7:07 pm.)

[That One Guy]

I respect religions... or at least I'm gonna say I do to be PC... but they're damn fools if they go out there and try to do something like this without any hydration.

[Rock Chalk]

You know what, Christians work on Christmas in the NFL, Jews (if applicable) work on Yom Kippur, Muslims can bend a few ritualistic rules to fit within the modern world too.

[theAPAOps5]

I agree with Alec, Easter is probably the biggest period for Christians and we still work. You can fast but man don't kill yourself. Can you imagine a whole practice with no hydration. Jebus.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

How lousy could he have played? We gave up like seventy yards passing. If he's been doing this his entire life, i'm sure he has it under control.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

You know what, Christians work on Christmas in the NFL, Jews (if applicable) work on Yom Kippur, Muslims can bend a few ritualistic rules to fit within the modern world too.

Shawn Green never plays on Yom Kippur

[theAPAOps5]

I don't think he played lousy either. Maybe on the run he wasn't as good but with how far Bates had the secondary playing to take away the big pass plays and keep everythin in front it would be hard to stuff the run.

[cutthemdown]

I don't like it but what can you do this is America and we honor and respect all religions. Having said that I don't see one starting calibar saftey other then Lynch and Ferguson on this team. Abdullah, Cox are just depth and I doubt will ever be starters in the NFL.

[telluride]

I don't think he played lousy either. Maybe on the run he wasn't as good but with how far Bates had the secondary playing to take away the big pass plays and keep everythin in front it would be hard to stuff the run.

Well, he's the one that missed the tackle that sprung Parrish for his TD return. So that's a biggy. Also, if you watch the game, he's consistently a half step out of the play, or just missing a tackle. (And M. Lynch abused him badly on that TD run.)

[Rock Chalk]

How lousy could he have played? We gave up like seventy yards passing. If he's been doing this his entire life, i'm sure he has it under control.

Its not hard to not eat or drink from dawn till dusk. The worry comes from practicing and playing without being able to drink any water during the game. Cramping and heat exhaustion and even heat stroke can occur. Its not safe for him to do it, ever. A person that is mostly inactive in physical exertion for a given day has very little to worry about, a person in practice or a game that is sweating profusely has a great deal to worry about.

Fairly certain Allah is not going to send Ahmza to Islamic hell because he drank some water during Ramadan to keep from dying.

[That One Guy]

In Hamza's defense though, he does have plenty of time to rest in between his performances. I wonder if he'd attempt it if he had numbers of snaps up there with our starting players.

[Sodak]

The whole thing is stupid. Hamza and Ryan are stupid. They would jeapordize their chances on a great team to fast for an imaginary friend. Amazing.

Put them both on the inactive list during Ramadan because they will be useless in a game.

[MechanicalBull]

Shawn Green never plays on Yom Kippur

It's funny I was going to post that but this year her played which is very strange. Here is NY they were even suprised and was somewhat of a story during the game cause he got the game winning single the other day.

[fontaine]

Being a practicing muslim can have it's advantages. Those guys won't smoke, drink alcohol or any other sh*t that's going to affect them either.

Also we don't have to worry about Hamza or Harris hanging out at the IHOP getting into fist fights at 4 in the morning.

If they were starters playing 50 to 60 snaps then yeah I might be concerned but it's a bit much to get worked up about backups who barely see the field.

[That One Guy]

Being a practicing muslim can have it's advantages. Those guys won't smoke, drink alcohol or any other sh*t that's going to affect them either.

Also we don't have to worry about Hamza or Harris hanging out at the IHOP getting into fist fights at 4 in the morning.

If they were starters playing 50 to 60 snaps then yeah I might be concerned but it's a bit much to get worked up about backups who barely see the field.

It's more likely that they WILL be out getting meals at 4 AM, they have to eat before sunrise.

And yeah, the fact that they aren't starters makes this less of an issue but the fact is that a person that lives off working their bodies like these guys do should NEVER deny their body water. It's good to stick to your guns for your beliefs but it's not worth dying over. Especially with the stuff we've seen this offseason, imagine the outrage if heat stroke DID take one of em down. I'd have to believe people would hold that against the person for putting the team through it again.

[400HZ]

Can Abdullah take IV's?

Either way, you gotta admire that devotion. I can't go 12:24 without food or water even if I'm sitting on my ass all day long.

[sirhcyennek81]

A Muslim attending a Catholic University...that just strikes me as odd.


:Broncos:

[listopencil]

Can Abdullah take IV's?




I was thinking the same thing.

[SonOfLe-loLang]

It's funny I was going to post that but this year her played which is very strange. Here is NY they were even suprised and was somewhat of a story during the game cause he got the game winning single the other day.

Yom Kippur hasn't happened yet this year. Rosh Hashanah has.

[Paladin]

If he's injured, you know the first thing the doc will order is a saline solution. Medications etc. Sort of like saying the Muslims don't fight during Ramadan, especially each other. We all know how that turns out.....

[Broncos4Life]

The whole thing is stupid. Hamza and Ryan are stupid. They would jeapordize their chances on a great team to fast for an imaginary friend. Amazing.

Put them both on the inactive list during Ramadan because they will be useless in a game.

I'm curious to hear what Shanny thinks of the whole thing. I'm sure hes a bit concerned. He should tell them both the same thing you said. That would be a good laugh. Imaginary friends...
And if they ever became starters during Ramadan, threaten to put them both on the inactive list

[footstepsfrom#27]

Good thing Sam Adams isn't Muslim.

[fontaine]

It's more likely that they WILL be out getting meals at 4 AM, they have to eat before sunrise.

And yeah, the fact that they aren't starters makes this less of an issue but the fact is that a person that lives off working their bodies like these guys do should NEVER deny their body water. It's good to stick to your guns for your beliefs but it's not worth dying over. Especially with the stuff we've seen this offseason, imagine the outrage if heat stroke DID take one of em down. I'd have to believe people would hold that against the person for putting the team through it again.

They would have to be a pretty selfish, pathetic human being in the first place to believe that.

[Kaylore]

If you take an I.V. is it still keeping with Ramadan since you're not technically drinking?

[maher_tyler]

A Muslim attending a Catholic University...that just strikes me as odd.


:Broncos:

Over here the TCN's fast from 4am to 6 pm..thats 14 hours...if Hazma has been doing it for 17 years he'll be fine..that means he's been through this situation at least 5-6 other times and he's still alive..harris on the other hand is a question mark since he hasn't fasted since he was in HS...i agree with you though it is weird him being muslim going to a catholic school.

[Garcia Bronco]

After his contributions in the Buffalo game, Abdullah needs all the help he can get. He missess tackles and likes to get run over.

[fontaine]

After his contributions in the Buffalo game, Abdullah needs all the help he can get. He missess tackles and likes to get run over.

You could say that about the other safeties, Bly, and our LBers who all missed tackles on Lynch as well.

Guess they must all be celebrating Ramadan as well.

[Dr. Broncenstein]

Does this exclude him from rolling on shabbos?

[400HZ]

Does this exclude him from rolling on shabbos?

Ha! Ha! Ha!

[Turf Shaman]

I'm not a religious person, but I make a point of respecting other people's faiths so long as their faith doesn't call for them to disrespect others. The bottom line is most religious people hold their faiths to be of higher value than the game of football. And it's a pretty high likelyhood that people who hold football to be of such high value that they'd question someone practicing their faith over it have questionable values on several levels. I don't think anyone would expect a Christian or Jew to give up their faith to play football. It's not like they're taking time off. I don't think Shawn Green got this much flack for not playing on Yom Kippur.

[Rock Chalk]

I couldbt be Jewish or Muslim.

I love bacon too much.