Chapter 22: Explanation Regarding
Amusement & Games (i.e. Entertainment)
Allah عزوجل says
(وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنۡ
یَّشْتَرِیۡ لَہۡوَ الْحَدِیۡثِ لِیُضِلَّ عَنۡ سَبِیۡلِ اللہِ بِغَیۡرِ عِلْمٍ ٭ۖ
وَّ یَتَّخِذَہَا ہُزُوًا ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ لَہُمْ عَذَابٌ مُّہِیۡنٌ ﴿۶﴾)
“And amongst
them, there are some who purchase amusement, to delude others from the path of
Allah, without perceiving, and to ridicule it. For them, there is a humiliating
punishment” [Surah 31 Verse 6]
Hadith 1: Tirmizi,
Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah have reported from Uqba bin Aamir رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said,
‘Everything with which a person plays is futile, except shooting arrows from a
bow, training his horse, and his activity with his wife, for these 3 are true
(i.e. proper)’.
Hadith 2: Imam
Ahmed, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Ibn-e-Majah have reported from Buraidah رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘He
who plays the dice (backgammon), is as if he has thrust his hands into the flesh
and blood of a swine’. It is mentioned in another narration from Abu Musa رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that, he has disobeyed Allah and His Rasool صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم.
Hadith 3: Imam Ahmed
reported on the authority of Abdur Rahmaan Khatmi رضی
اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that Rasoolullah صلَّی
اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘The example of the one who plays dice
(backgammon) and then stands up for Namaaz, is like a person who performs
ablution (wudu) with pus and blood, and then stands up to pray Namaaz’.
Hadith 4: Dailmi
reported from of Ibn Ab’bas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہما that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘The companions of the king (Chess
players) are in jahan’num (hell), who says that, I have executed your King’.
Here, the chess players are being referred to, who check the King (in chess)
and then (play the) check mate’.
Hadith 5: Baihaqi
has reported from Hazrat Ali رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that he
said, ‘Chess is the gambling (i.e. game) of the non-Arabs (westerners)’, and Shihaab
has reported on the authority of Abu Musa Ash’ari رضی
اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that he said, ‘Only a wrongdoer will play
chess’. There is also another narration reported from him where it is said that
‘It is Baatil1 and Allah loves not that which is baati[1].’
Hadith 6: Abu Dawud
and Ibn Majah have reported from Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ
تعالٰی عنہ and Ibn Majah reported from Anas and Hazrat Uthman رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہما
that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم saw a person
pursuing a female pigeon. He صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said,
‘shaitaan is pursuing a shaitaana’.
Hadith 7: Tirmizi
reported from of Ibn Ab’bas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہما that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم forbade the fighting of animals (quadruped).
Hadith 8: Bazzar
reported from Anas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ that
Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘There are two sounds which are cursed
in this world and in the hereafter; the sound of musical instruments during
chanting and the sound of wailing at the time of a calamity’.
Hadith 9: Baihaqi
reported on the authority of Jaabir رضی اللہ
تعالٰی عنہ that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘Singing sprouts hypocrisy in the
heart, just as water causes the fields to vegetate’.
Hadith 10: Tabrani
reported from Ibn Umar رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہما that the Prophet
صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم forbade singing and listening to songs, (he
forbade us) from backbiting and listening to backbiting, and from tale-bearing and
from listening to tale-bearing.
Hadith 11: Baihaqi
reported from Ibn Ab’bas رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہما that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said that Allah has made alcohol, gambling
and drums Haraam, and he صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘Every intoxicant is Haraam’.
Hadith 12: Abu Dawud
reported on the authority of Hazrat A’ishaرضی اللہ
تعالٰی عنہا. She says, ‘I used to
play with dolls and sometimes Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم would come in at a time when other girls were
with me. When Huzoor صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم would arrive, the girls would leave and when Huzoor
صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم would leave, the girls would return’.
Hadith 13: It is in
Sahih Bukhari and Muslim from Hazrat A’isha رضی اللہ
تعالٰی عنہا says, ‘I used to play with dolls at the home of Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم and a few
other girls used to play with me as well. They would hide away when Huzoor صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم arrived.
Huzoor صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم used to send them to me and they would then
return to play with me’.
Hadith 14: Abu Dawud
reports from Hazrat A’isha رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا who says
that Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم returned
from either Ghazwa-e-Tabuk or Khaibar and there were dolls kept in her shelf,
and there was a curtain over them. A gust of wind blew and one end of the curtain
moved, causing Hazrat A’isha’s رضی اللہ
تعالٰی عنہا dolls to become visible. Huzoor صلَّی اللہ
تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم asked, ‘A’isha رضی
اللہ تعالٰی عنہا! What is this? She said
that they were her dolls. Amongst the dolls there was also a horse made from fabric,
which had two wings. Huzoor صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم pointed towards the horse and asked, ‘What is
that amongst the dolls?’ She replied that it was ahorse. He asked, ‘What is
this on the horse?’ She replied that they were the horse’s wings. He صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘Wings
for a horse!’ Hazrat A’isha رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہا replied,
‘Have you not heard, that the horses of Hazrat Sulaiman علیہ السلام had wings.’ On hearing this, Huzoor صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم smiled.
Laws of Jurisprudence
Law: If the beating of
drums is for show (entertainment), it is impermissible but if the aim is to
warn people and to get them to think of the sound of the Soor[2],
then there are 3 instances where it is permissible to beat the drums; after
Asr, After Esha and after half the night has passed, as during these times,
beating of the drum resembles the sound of the ‘Soor’. [Durr-e-Mukhtar] This
intention is a very good one, only if the ones who have this drum beaten realize
this and how nice it would have been if those who listen to it would also
remember the sound of the ‘Soor’. However, in this era, where can we find such
people? (Nowadays), the aim of the drum-beating is for pomp and show, and for
the purpose of adding pomp and adornment to marriage festivities.
Law: It is permissible to
beat the duff on the day of Eid and in weddings, as long as it is a plain and
simple duff. It should not have any musical properties and should not be beaten
in a musical manner. In other words, it should be an un-musical drumming, the aim
of which is to announce the Nikah or Eid. [Raddul
Muhtar, Alamgiri]
Law: To blow the bugle with
the intention of waking people up and to warn them is permissible, just as the
bugle is blown at public baths with the aim of making the people aware that the
public bath has opened. In some cities during the month of Ramadan, drums are beaten
with the aim of waking people to partake in Sehri and so that they may know
that there is still time left for Sehri. This is permissible, as this case is
not related to Lahw wa la’ib[3].
[Durr-e-Mukhtar] Similarly, whistles are blown at factories to announce that the
work time has commenced or ended. This too is permissible because the aim here
is not amusement (entertainment), but this whistle is blown as an announcement.
Similarly, the whistle in the train has the same objective. In other words, it
is sounded so that the people become aware that the train is about to depart.
The whistle is also sounded for other proper reasons. This too is permissible.
Law: To play cards and dice
is impermissible. The same ruling applies to chess. Similarly, all categories
of amusement and games are regarded as futile. Only three types have been
permitted in the Hadith; activity with ones wife, riding (training) a horse and
archery. [Durr-e-Mukhtar etc.]
Law: Dancing, clapping
hands, playing the sitar[4],
the one string guitar, the two stringed guitar, the harmonium, the harp, the tambourine
and to play all like type musical instruments are impermissible. [Raddul Muhtar]
Law: The (supposed) mystics
of today listen to Qawali with musical instruments sometimes leaping up and
down, and dancing around. Listening to singing with music in this manner is not
permissible, nor is attending such gatherings. There is no evidence of this
type of singing from the Masha’ikh. That which is evident from the Masha’ikh is
simply this, if someone rendered a stanza that was appropriate in their
condition and spiritual state, they would be saturated by a deep spiritual
ecstasy. Weeping, they would stand up making involuntary gestures.
To this, there is no objection. There is a clear distinction
between this deep spiritual state of the Blessed Religious Personalities (i.e.
the Awliyah Allah) and that of the supposed mystics of today. However, todays’
Mehfils (gatherings) are filled with sinful and immoral people. Most of the
singers do not conform to the preconditions of Shariah. They sing whilst
clapping hands, playing musical instruments, leaping and jumping around
immensely, to the extent of dancing and strutting. This they refer to as
‘Haal’. What do such actions have in common with the true spiritual conditions
of the Great Sufis! (The true ecstasy of the Awliyah are involuntary gestures
whilst) as of todays mehfils everything is within their control![5]
[Alamgiri]
Law: If one breeds pigeons
without the intention of flying them (i.e. racing them), then breeding them is
permissible, and if the aim is to fly them, it is impermissible, as this too is
regarded as a type of futile sport. If one has to climb onto rooftops to fly
the pigeons and this causes the privacy of others to be evaded, or if one
throws stones when flying the pigeons, wherein there is a risk of people’s
crockery etc. breaking, then such a person will be strictly asked to stop doing
so and if he still does not take heed, then his pigeons will be made Zibah
(slaughtered) on behalf of the authorities and then returned to him, so that
his action of flying (pigeons) is terminated altogether. [Durr-e-Mukhtar]
Law: There are people who
hold animal fights between roosters, quail, partridge, rams and buffalo etc.
This is Haraam and to participate in it or to be an audience to this spectacle
is also impermissible.
Law: During the opening of
the mango season, young boys go into
the orchards, and after this, they play with the peels and pip (of
the mangoes). There is no objection to this. [Alamgiri]
Law: If wrestling is not in
the sense of futile play and game, but it is done with the intention of
building physical strength and so that it will enable one to fight the kufaar,
it is permissible and ‘Mustahsan’ (commendable) and a means of attaining sawaab
(reward). On condition, that the compulsory parts that need to be covered in
the Shariah are not exposed in any way. Nowadays, wrestling is done almost
naked, simply wearing a loin cloth or short pants (and wrestling breeches
etc.), causing the thighs to be exposed. This is impermissible. Huzoor-e-Akram صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم wrestled Rukana and pinned him thrice,
because Rukana said, ‘If you pin me down, I will accept Islam’, and thereafter,
he became a Muslim. [Durr-e-Mukhtar, Raddul Muhtar]
Law: If
there are no obscenities, unpleasant talk, and abusive language, or if no harm
is intended towards any Muslim, and if it is only a pleasant and heart pleasing
discussion, then there is no harm in engaging in humorous conversation that
brings joy and happiness to those sitting together. [Alamgiri]
[1] Baatil here refers to that which is futile and a complete waste of
time.
[2] The Soor is the horn-like object which will be blown when Qiyaamat
comes.
[3] Lahw wa la’ib refers to amusement and futile activities.
[4] A sitar is a 3 stringed guitar.
[5]
However, despite this manner being regarded impermissible, it
certainly does not render one out o f Islam. To say or believe this is
incorrect.
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