“I am not saying no to sports, but the rules of the Sharia ought to be respected when doing so… Awrah for men includes the body parts between their navel and knees, and it’s the entire body for women, except for their face and hands,” Rushdy said.
“I advise young men not to practice bodybuilding because of this and women should not participate in any competition that requires them to show parts of their bodies.”
While Abdullah Rushdy’s statements and issued fatwa is a very big deal – it’s not representative of all of Egypt. This is clear in the celebration videos that have gone viral upon Big Ramy returning to Egypt. It is also unclear whether or not Rushdy’s statements will affect Ramy’s personal outlook on bodybuilding. But Rushdy’s statements coming so close to an Egyptian bodybuilders iconic pro bodybuilding win has created a mini storm of attention for the time being.
If anything, this just further proves that Big Ramy’s rise to prominence in pro bodybuilding has had a massive impact for the Egyptian community. While bodybuilding might not be a mainstream sport in the United States – it is a deeply passionate sport across the globe. Ramy has stated that he will continue to reign as Olympia for years to come – it will be interesting to see if this brings more controversial attention in the years ahead.