OnIslam & Newspapers
Sunday, 14 September 2014 00:00
“Yaya was very friendly and asked if I was nervous," A'isha said.
CAIRO – A British young Muslim girl became the first veiled mascot on football pitches in UK’s Premier League as she accompanied Manchester City’s champ Yaya Toure before the Liverpool game while donning her Islamic headscarf.
“It was a very surreal experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the day,” A’isha Dalal, a young girl from Blackburn, told Lancashire Telegraph.
“The players were so friendly and made us feel at home.”
A’isha, and her younger brother Khalil, who escorted French midfielder Samir Nasri, joined players from the current Premier League champions’ and Capital One Cup holders before the Liverpool game at the Etihad Stadium on August 26, which City won 3-1.
“We were lucky to have been allowed to pick our players,” A’isha said.
A’isha was happy to accompany former Barcelona player, who became the only second midfielder to score 20 Premier League goals in a season as City won the title in May.
“Khalil wanted to walk with Samir Nasri, as he is a big fan,” she added.
“Yaya was very friendly and asked if I was nervous. I said a little. He reassured me not to be scared and I wished him good luck. It was a day Khalil and I will never forget.”
Toure, named by Eurosport in 2005 as one of the most promising young players in the world, is one of the Premier League’s superstars.
Gifted in holding and protecting the ball, he excels also in long, short and direct passes.
In difficult situations, Toure is distinguished by his ability to make forward runs, earning him the nickname "box-to-box" player.
He had previously played for Spain’s giant FC Barcelona.
From the first moment of joining FC Barcelona, he made no secret about his religion, insisting there was no contradiction between being a successful footballer and a devout Muslim.
Proud of Hijab
Speaking of her big moment, the young girl said that she was proud of wearing her scarf.
“I really enjoyed buying my kit. Looking for the right colour scarf was time consuming but my mum’s friend managed to eventually find one,” A’isha said.
“Wearing a scarf wasn't something I gave a second thought to as I wanted to show that you don't have to be shy about showing your faith.
“If you want to wear it then feel confident to wear it anywhere,” she added.
Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol.
Britain is home to a Muslim community of nearly 2.7 million.
In 2011, think tank Demo found that Muslims in the United Kingdom are more patriotic than the rest of population.
Responding to the statement “I am proud to be a British citizen”, 83% of Muslims said they are proud of being British.
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