THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Sports Minister V Abdurrahman has rejected Samastha's stance that there should not be individual worship or commitment to football-playing nations. The minister said that sports should not be mixed with religion.

"Sports and religion are different. There is no need to provoke sports fans. Worship will take place at its time. And those who wish will participate in it. Individual worship is the passion of sports fans. Let sports and religion take their course," Abdurrahman said.

Earlier, Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Khutba committee general secretary Nasar Faizi had said believers should not have too much enthusiasm for anything and football should not become an addiction.

"A Muslim has to pray five times a day. However, the World Cup frenzy has affected the prayers of the faithful. There should be restraint in this regard", Nasar Faizi said. He said that it is unbelievable that even unemployed people are ready to spend money on erecting cutouts.

Samastha also wants the faithful to avoid supporting un-Islamic countries like Portugal, as the European country has a history of invasion and is one of the first invaders in India.