The Zidane Controversy

Over the past few days, I've heard a lot of people say that what Zidane did was right. No one should insult one's family and get away with it.

I disagree.

How does head-butting someone who was insulting your family make you any better than the offender? If Zidane had reacted with patience and self-restraint, he would have demonstrated strong character, as opposed to this schoolyard tit-for-tat mentality.

We should look at the example of Ali (R.A.). In one battle, Ali (R.A.) had overpowered an enemy warrior and had his dagger at the man’s throat when the man spat in his face. Immediately Ali (R.A.) got up, sheathed his dagger, and told the man, “Taking your life is unlawful to me. Go away.” The man was amazed, “O Ali,” he asked, “I was helpless, you were about to kill me, I insulted you and you released me. Why?” “When you spat in my face,” Ali (R.A.) answered, “it aroused the anger of my ego. Had I killed you then it would not have been for the sake of Allah, but for the sake of my ego. I would have been a murderer. You are free to go.” The enemy warrior was profoundly moved by this show of great nobility and so he embraced Islam on the spot.

Bottom line, people should learn to control their ego (nafs) and their anger. I honestly think that that is the root of evil... when we succumb to our nafs/ego.

Insult, or no insult, Zidane should have controlled himself. By head-butting the other player, he stooped to his level.