Players at Malcolm X Shabazz High School gather for salah before kickoff, making faith, reflection, and unity part of their football tradition.
Newark, NJ — Allahu Akbar! Before taking the field, members of the Malcolm X Shabazz High School football team gather together for salah, the Islamic prayer, pausing to pray to Allah as part of their pregame tradition. The prayer takes place on the field, similar to how many schools across the U.S. hold Christian prayers before football games.
The prayer brings teammates together in a moment of reflection before competition, underscoring the role that faith and community play for many of the student-athletes representing the Newark school.
Allahu Akbar, New Jersey! Malcolm X Shabazz High School Bulldogs football team from Newark. Even our Football is now Islamified! –RAIR USA/Facebook
Faith takes center stage before kickoff
A social media post from the Facebook page Converts to Islam described the team’s tradition, stating, “Before taking the field, Newark’s Shabazz High School football team comes together for salah, the Islamic prayer, as part of their pregame tradition.”
“The players pause before each game to pray and give praise to Allah, creating a moment of faith, unity and reflection before competing on the field,” the post continued.
According to the post, “The tradition highlights the important role faith and community can play in the lives of student-athletes at Shabazz High School.”
The page also reflected on one of Newark’s best-known football rivalries, writing, “The long-standing rivalry between Weequahic and Malcolm X Shabazz High School in Newark, particularly in the South Ward, is well known in the community. But moments like this remind us that beyond rivalries and competition, there are shared values, faith, brotherhood, and community.”
Shabazz High School football team is 4-1 this season, so their prayers to Allah appear to have been answered on the field.
“Alhamdulillah, it is beautiful to see young Muslim brothers—and sisters—embracing Islam openly and proudly, not only in private but also as part of their everyday lives,” the post added.
It concluded, “May Allah guide and bless these young brothers, strengthen their faith, protect them, and make them a source of goodness and inspiration for their community.”
Community members praise the tradition
The team’s pregame prayer also drew attention from RAIR Foundation USA, which wrote, “Allahu Akbar, New Jersey! Malcolm X Shabazz High School Bulldogs football team from Newark.”
The organization added, “Even our Football is now Islamified!”
Former rapper Mutah “Napoleon” Beale, who converted to Islam, also praised the players’ commitment to their faith.
“Maa shaa Allah. These young brothers play football at Shabazz High School in Newark, New Jersey. Prayer time came in and they stopped everything to put Allah first,” Beale wrote.
“Alhamdulillah, may Allah preserve them, keep them firm and make them examples for other young Muslims,” he added.
For many supporters, the pregame prayer reflects how faith, discipline, and brotherhood remain an important part of the experience for members of the Malcolm X Shabazz football program. Students in public schools generally have First Amendment rights to engage in voluntary religious expression. Additional information on religious expression in public schools is available from the U.S. Department of Education at https://www.ed.gov.
Readers can also find additional coverage of Newark, New Jersey, and high school sports on Shore News Network.
Members of Newark’s Malcolm X Shabazz High School football team continue a pregame tradition of gathering for Islamic prayer before taking the field.