Why Playing Carrom is Not Haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-12.06.2023
Carrom is a popular table top game where players flick flat discs and is very popular in the Indian sub continent. There is no evidence in Islam to prove that playing carom is haram. Islam is silent.
The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122 and also graded Sahih by Sheikh Albani)
Even the prophet (sal) engaged in sports.
Aisha (rali) said “"I saw the Prophet (sal) and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears." (Bukhari)
The "Wasting Time" Argument
The other vague argument we see to justify why playing Carrom is haram is that playing such games is a waste of time. Now the question is, in which verse in the Quran or authentic hadith does it say that doing so is a waste of time? The hadith about wasting time is as follows.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith, it speaks generally about wasting time and you cannot say specifically that watching movies is also a waste of time. Wasting time is what the Quran and the authentic hadiths say what wasting time is and not the personal opinions of someone. Just because watching playing carrom is a waste of time for one person does not mean it is a waste of time for another. If seeking entertainment was a waste of time, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the mosque. Wasting time is a relative thing for a person to person and Islam nowhere says that watching movies or entertainment is a waste of time or that it is haram. This is what happens when Muslims become puritanical and try to go beyond the understanding of the Sahaba and the Salaf. The Ansar Sahaba are among the most closed companions of the prophet (Sal) and loving them is a sign of faith. The Ansar Sahabah were fond of entertainment and the prophet (Sal) said:
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
If the Ansar Sahaba were so fond of entertainment, then what is wrong with a Muslim loving entertainment?
Beware of extremists
Ultra puritanism has crept the Muslim community because they have forgotten to stick to the Quran and the Sunnah as understood by the early generation of Muslims who were the Salafus Saliheen. As a result of various innovators who have started to spread Bidah, shirk and Kufr, the hapless youth have been brainwashed in to believing in rubbish that has no basis in Islam. Nowhere in the Quran or the authentic hadiths does it say that entertainment modes such as playing Carrom is haram. Islam is a very easy religion and extremism has no place in Islam. The prophet (Sal) said,
“None makes the religion difficult except that it overcomes him. So, aim for what is right, stick to the moderate way"
(Bukhari)
Narrated by Ibn Masud (Rali),
The prophet (Sal) said,
"Beware! The extremists perished," saying it three times."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
Playing Carrom is not haram in Islam
Carrom is a popular table top game where players flick flat discs and is very popular in the Indian sub continent. There is no evidence in Islam to prove that playing carom is haram. Islam is silent.
The Prophet (sal) said, “Verily Allah has obligated the obligations – so do not neglect them. And He has limited the limits – so do not transgress them. And His silence about things is from His mercy, not forgetfulness, so do not investigate them.”
(Hasan sahih-Ad-Darqutni No. 4/199 and Al-Baihaqi No. 10/122 and also graded Sahih by Sheikh Albani)
Even the prophet (sal) engaged in sports.
Aisha (rali) said “"I saw the Prophet (sal) and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears." (Bukhari)
The "Wasting Time" Argument
The other vague argument we see to justify why playing Carrom is haram is that playing such games is a waste of time. Now the question is, in which verse in the Quran or authentic hadith does it say that doing so is a waste of time? The hadith about wasting time is as follows.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “There are two blessings which many people waste: health and free time.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
The above hadith, it speaks generally about wasting time and you cannot say specifically that watching movies is also a waste of time. Wasting time is what the Quran and the authentic hadiths say what wasting time is and not the personal opinions of someone. Just because watching playing carrom is a waste of time for one person does not mean it is a waste of time for another. If seeking entertainment was a waste of time, then the prophet (Sal) would have forbidden Aisha (Rali) from watching the Ethiopians playing with spears in the mosque. Wasting time is a relative thing for a person to person and Islam nowhere says that watching movies or entertainment is a waste of time or that it is haram. This is what happens when Muslims become puritanical and try to go beyond the understanding of the Sahaba and the Salaf. The Ansar Sahaba are among the most closed companions of the prophet (Sal) and loving them is a sign of faith. The Ansar Sahabah were fond of entertainment and the prophet (Sal) said:
“O Aisha, do you have any entertainment? Verily, the Ansar are fond of entertainment.”
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
If the Ansar Sahaba were so fond of entertainment, then what is wrong with a Muslim loving entertainment?
Beware of extremists
Ultra puritanism has crept the Muslim community because they have forgotten to stick to the Quran and the Sunnah as understood by the early generation of Muslims who were the Salafus Saliheen. As a result of various innovators who have started to spread Bidah, shirk and Kufr, the hapless youth have been brainwashed in to believing in rubbish that has no basis in Islam. Nowhere in the Quran or the authentic hadiths does it say that entertainment modes such as playing Carrom is haram. Islam is a very easy religion and extremism has no place in Islam. The prophet (Sal) said,
“None makes the religion difficult except that it overcomes him. So, aim for what is right, stick to the moderate way"
(Bukhari)
Narrated by Ibn Masud (Rali),
The prophet (Sal) said,
"Beware! The extremists perished," saying it three times."
(Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
Playing Carrom is not haram in Islam