Shaykh Bin Baz was asked:
Question:
“Our Brother asks about the ruling on playing cards?”
Answer:
“Playing cards is not allowed because it is from the instruments of amusement, because in it are seductive pictures for play, so it is not allowed. It is from the instruments of amusement from what we know so it is is not necessary rather it is not allowed to play it because it leads to distraction from what is obligatory from the prayer in jama’ah and sometimes it leads to arguments and cursing according to what its players mention”.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen was asked:
Question:
“Generous Shaikh! May Allah be good to you, what is the ruling on the playing cards which have on them pictures of souls and other than it? And what is the ruling on playing shatranj and playing with dice knowing that they will not miss the prayer times? Answer this rewarded jazakallahu khairan”
Answer:
“This is haram with many of our contemporary scholars: shatranj and cards. From those who say it is haram is our shaikh Abu Abdurahman Abdurahman ibn Nasir as-Sa’di rahimullah”
[Liqaa ash-Shahri no. 66]
Shaykh Muqbil Bin Hadi Al-Wadi’i was asked:
Question:
the questioner asks about playing cards and dominoes and keeram [arab game] not for money [so what is the ruling on this]?
Answer:
The least thing is that it is an amusement. Leave it alone if it is for money [since] it would be gambling. Otherwise the least thing it is is an amusement and the Messenger (ﷺ) said:
لا تزل قدما عبد حتى يُسال عن أربع – ومنها – عن عمره فيما أفناه
The two feet of the son of Adam wont move until he is asked about four: from them is his lifespan in what he did with it.
[Reported by Tirmidhi and others. Graded Saheeh by Al-Albani in Saheeh Tirmidhi no. 2417]
So we are responsible for our lifespans and the Messenger (ﷺ) said:
نعمتان مغبون فيهما كثير من الناس : الصحة والفراغ .
Two blessings most people are cheated from: health and free time
[Saheeh al-Bukhaari no. 6412]
So this is with which we advise every brother to avoid it and sometimes also it inherits hostility and malice because I won and you won and like this. So what is most deserving is to avoid it, that is better for you and we don’t have time and you dont have time. You oh Muslim, you are responsible to understand the deen of Allah and you are responsible to go out to provide for your family and like this.
احرص على ما ينفعك ، واستعن بالله ولا تعجزن ، ولا تقولن لو أني فعلت كذا وكذا لكان كذا وكذا ، فإن لو تفتح عمل الشيطان ، ولكن قل : قدر الله وما شاء فعل “
Be Eager in what benefits you and seek the aid of Allah and do not be lazy and do not say if I did such and such then such and such would happen for verily if opens to the action of Shaytan. however say: What Allah decreed and what he will he does.
[Saheeh Muslim no. 2664]
Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbad said:
“The games which are present in our modern time like cards, dominoes, billiards, and other than that from the games that are present nowadays, all of them are distractions from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer” [Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood no. 561]
And Allah Knows Best
Translated by
Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
