Muscle guy muezzin fired over bodybuilding contest

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The Interior Ministry recently fired Ibrahim Masri, a forty five-year-vintage muezzin (the man who recites the call to prayer) from the el-Jazzar Mosque in Acre, after snapshots emerged a bathing match for the duration of a bodybuilding contest three years in the past.

Masri received the Israeli Bodybuilding Championship and the Champion of Champions bodybuilding contest in 2016. However, pix of him in his revealing outfit made their manner to the Interior Ministry, and he was referred to as in for listening to.

“You participated in a bodybuilding contest even as carrying irrelevant apparel for a nonsecular figure,” said the letter summoning him to the assembly.   Replying to the Interior Ministry, Masri expressed regret for any inappropriate conduct, saying he had no longer meant to cause any damage and that he turned into “committed to acting in a way desirable to the needs of the activity.”

But the Interior Ministry turned unconvinced and decided to terminate Masri’s contract.   The married father of three says he had a successful career as a bodybuilder from 1987, in 2000, he “left all competitions and became a non-secular person.” In 2005, he became a muezzin on the el-Jazzar Mosque.

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“Three years ago, one of the managers of the bodybuilding competitions requested me to participate in a contest in Tel Aviv,” Masri stated. “I informed him I stopped competing years in the past and that I wasn’t interested. Finally, I became persuaded and participated in the Israeli championship as a representative of the Arab public in Acre—and I won.”   Several months in the past, Masri become invited to an Interior Ministry hearing in Nazareth. “They confirmed me pictures of me after the win,” he stated. “I commenced fearing and stated the photos had been antique. Then I was invited to another hearing in Jerusalem where they confirmed the showering match pix….I apologized; however, they determined to fireplace me.”   Masri stated he appealed the decision, however, in vain.   “I hurt no person, I didn’t swear—I simply participated in a competition that needs its competition to wear a washing match to show the language of the body,” Masri said. “I wish they opposite the choice to fire me.”    Masri has discovered assist among the citizen’s Acre, who called him an honest man who “understood his mistake.”