Player’s Religion Comes First, Except On Days When He Plays

Connecticut point guard Khalid El-Amin will observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by fasting from dawn to dusk - but not on days he suits up to play.

“I won’t fast on game days. I’ll have to make those days up later,” El-Amin said after practice Friday.

That’s good news for the 10th-ranked Huskies, who begin their Big East schedule Saturday when they host Notre Dame.

The freshman, the team’s second-leading scorer and the key to its transition game, said fans and opponents can expect him to be his usual self against all opponents during Ramadan.

“Sometimes, I won’t have as much energy. But I’ll continue to practice and play with the same intensity,” he said.

Ramadan began Tuesday with the sighting of the new moon. It celebrates the month in which God revealed the Koran, Islam’s holy book, to the prophet Mohammed some 1,400 years ago. Muslims are forbidden to eat or drink between sunrise and sunset during the holy month.

El-Amin was born into his religious faith. His first name means “The sword of God,” and his family name means “Trustworthy.”

“It’s our religion. It’s our duty to God. There are lots of people in this world who don’t have enough to eat, who don’t have what we have. This makes us disciplined,” El-Amin said.

Hakeem Olajuwon of the NBA Houston Rockets is among the professionals who adhere strictly to the Islamic laws of the Muslim fast, even on game days. El-Amin said he once tried to follow the rules on the day of a high school game, but “didn’t feel like himself afterward.”

“I know Hakeem doesn’t eat or drink on game days. He’s a strong brother. I look up to him for that. I don’t know how he does it,” El-Amin said.

Should he get fatigued on practice days, he said coach Jim Calhoun is aware of his religious obligation and will try to accommodate him as much as possible.

“He knows that sometimes I might get tired faster. He’ll let me rest up more,” El-Amin said.