Playing chess as a profession

7-12-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

My son is very eager about playing the chess. He has been taken masters degree in chess from the university and now he teaches the chess in college to his students. He participates in the competitions of the chess in different cities and wins the prizes because it is his job. But he doesn't play on bet. Somebody told me that its a bad profession. So what is your opinion about playing and teaching the chess?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

Chess game is of three kinds:

1) Chess that includes compensation: It is forbidden according to the agreement of scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them. Imaam Ibn 'Abdul-Barr may Allaah have mercy upon him said: 'The scholars agreed in a consensus that playing chess for compensation is gambling and it is forbidden.'

2) If playing chess leads to abandoning an obligation or committing a forbidden act, like not performing the prayer, or abandoning being dutiful to parents, telling a lie and false swearing. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah may Allaah have mercy upon him said: 'This form of chess is forbidden according to the consensus of all scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them.'

3) If playing is free from all kinds of prohibitions: If it is without compensation and does not involve abandoning an obligation or committing a forbidden act, then the scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them differed about it. Some are of the view that it is forbidden and some others are of the opinion that it is dislikeable. The Hanafi and Hanbali Schools are of the view that it is forbidden. However, it is confirmed that 'Ali may Allaah be pleased with him passed by a people who were playing chess and asked them: 'What are these statues to which you are devoted?"

'Abdullaah Ibn 'Umar may Allaah be pleased with him was asked about chess and he replied: 'It is forbidden like the dice.' Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with him was managing a property of an orphan and he found chess in it, so he burnt it. Abu Moosaa Al-Ash'aree may Allaah have mercy upon him said: 'It is only a sinner who would play chess.'

The Shaafi'ee School are of the view that chess is dislikeable. However, Al-Bulqeeni may Allaah have mercy upon him who was from the Shaafi'ee School objected to the opinion of his school and said that it is permissible if it is free from all prohibitions. Moreover, it is reported that Sa'eed Ibn Jubayr and Sa'eed Ibn Al-Mussayyib, and some righteous predecessors may Allaah have mercy upon them used to play chess.

The Maaliki School are of the view that if it is rarely played then it is dislikeable, but if one is addicted to it, then he could not be permitted to testify in court.

To conclude, playing chess is of three kinds: Two are exclusively forbidden, and the third is differed about among the scholars may Allaah have mercy upon them but the majority of them are of the opinion that it is forbidden. This is enough of a deterrence for a sound Muslim against playing this game or teaching it, let alone taking it as a profession to earn his living.

Allaah knows best.

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