Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

Every year, millions of families across America do two things on the fourth Thursday in November ... gorge themselves and watch football. Yesterday saw six of the biggest teams in the league go at it: New England took on Detroit, New Orleans went head to head with Dallas, and Cincinnati went up against New York.

Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick's recent heroic turns on the field may help him get back in the public's good graces, only three years after being convicted for operating a dogfighting ring. Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin discusses what's at stake for Vick and the Eagles in this weekend's showdown with the Giants. Ibrahim thinks Vick has proven himself a changed man.

Why are some people talking about Michael Vick, who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles as the MVP candidate when he has only played in only seven games this season?

Well, in the wake of one of the most incredible offensive displays that a quarterback has ever had, monday night's 59-28 drubbing of the the Washington Redskins, Vick, at 30 years of age and a year out of a prison sentence for operating a cruel dog-fighting ring that took him out of the NFL for two years, scored for two touchdowns and threw for four.

Islam is in many ways an essentially green religion, with foremost ethical principles stressing the importance of protecting the Earth and living in harmony with nature. But the Hajj, which officially began yesterday, has in recent years been attracting negative attention for its environmentally unfriendly effects. What does it mean when one of Islam's holiest events leads to environmental damage?

Blogger, community leader, and The Takeaway contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin discusses his new book, Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet.

President Obama continues his Asia trip this week with a stop in Indonesia, to emphasize American ties with the Muslim country. In a speech to Indonesians last night, the President sought to highlight those bonds; he did so by recalling his time growing up in Jakarta. Did Obama succeed in reaching out to Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in the world?

The San Francisco Giants had a chance to close out its divisional series against the Atlanta Braves yesterday and meet the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship. Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin wonders if the Braves will be able to live another day. He also previews Game five of the ALDS between the Texas Rangers and Tampa Bay Rays.

Philadelphia Phillies ace pitcher Roy Halladay, made a stunning playoff debut against the Cincinnati Reds, yesterday.  He pitched only the second no-hitter in Major League Baseball post-season history.

The Takeaway's sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, talks about this historic moment, and takes us through the rest of baseball's playoffs.

It is now mandatory that athletes wanting to particpate in NCAA Division I sports be tested for sickle cell anemia. The new rule has some people worried that it could lead to racial discrimination.

Put in affect in April, it's aimed to prevent the sudden death of young athletes such as 19-year-old Dale Lloyd II, who died suddenly in 2006 after a rigorous practice for Rice University's football team.

Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi holds the honor of being Pakistan’s number one ranked tennis player; but, as he competes in the U.S. Open, it is clear that he is playing for more than just the gold. Qureshi competes alongside doubles partner Rohann Bopanna; the pair has been dubbed "The Indo-Pak Express" on the international tennis circuit because Qureshi is a Pakistani Muslim, and Bopanna a Hindu from India.

And while the pair has explicitly stated their aim to overcome sixty years of hostility between their countries, the question remains: how can tennis heal the cultural wounds on the subcontinent?

The Takeaway's sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, headed to Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, NY for the U.S. Open. He came away with a number of observations, including how players distract themselves, like Frenchman, Gael Monfils who played soccer on the court before his match.

On Monday, the U.S. Open in New York City will pit the world's best tennis players against each other. The Takeaway's sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin tells us more about the standings: what matchups to look for, and the expected head-to-head of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

With the NFL season just a month away, The Takeaway's sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin previews what to expect on the field. He focuses on NFC North, where Brett Favre is sticking it out for at least one more season with the Minnesota Vikings; and the NFC West, where a heated quarterback battle is brewing.

He used to be bound for the Hall of Fame, but now seems more likely to go to prison. The seven-time Cy Young Award Winner, Roger Clemens was indicted on six counts by a federal grand jury yesterday, for allegedly lying to Congress, with statements like this, "let me be clear, I have never taken steroids or HGH."

Bobby Thomson, the baseball legend who hit the winning shot for the New York Giants in the 1951 National League playoff series died on Monday night. He was 86.

The induction of the 1992 Dream Team into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and the current USA Men’s basketball’s easy defeat of France turned my eyes to international basketball for the first time since 2008, when the USA men’s team won Olympic gold.

The basketball World Championship is set to begin in Turkey at the end of the month. In an exhibition game this weekend, Team USA handedly defeated France 86-55. The team is playing out without basketball superstars like Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James, but there seems to be a new talent on the court: Kevin Durant. We talk with Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin about how the team is shaping up.

The NFL's 2010 season officially begins in 27 days and we want to get up to speed on how exactly the NFL works and what to look for as the season gears up.

You think your August is tough? Imagine being in football camp and not eating or drinking while the sun is up because of Ramadan, the Muslim Holy month that begins this week. Ramadan is a time when practitioners refrain from eating, drinking, and physical intimacy during daylight hours. This year, Husain Abdullah, safety for the Minnesota Vikings will be doing just that - fasting during the holy month during the dog days of August football camp. That is dedication. Not only to your sport, but also to your way of life.

During the current training camp with the Minnesota Vikings, safety Husain Abdullah will be going without food or drink while the sun is out. Takeaway sports contributor, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, explains the rules of Ramadan and how an athlete might handle the challenges of a grueling workout while fasting.