Is it Haram to Win Money From Games?
C.J Ahmed-20.05.2023
It is not haram to win money from any kind of games be it video games or sports relate games.
Some try to quote the fatwa of Sheikh ul Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah to forbid playing games.
He said,
“If one of the two players, or an outsider, gives the prize, it is forbidden nevertheless, except in the case of something that is beneficial such as races or archery, as it says in the hadeeth: “There should be no (money) prizes for competitions except in archery, camel-racing and horse-racing”, because spending money on things that are of no benefit in either religious or worldly terms is not allowed, even if it is not gambling.” (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 32/223)
In his fatwa, Ibn Taymiyyah quotes a hadith. Let us look at the hadith,
Abu Hurairah (Rali) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (sal) said ,”Prize money is allowed only for racing camels, shooting arrows or racing horses.” ( Ahmad -Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih)
The above hadith is categorized under Jihad and the prize money means wages not competition. This is explained in the following hadith,
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
That the Prophet (sal) said: "No wage is acceptable except in archery, racing a camel, and racing a horse."(Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
For something to be haram, there needs clear texts and these hadiths does not mention anything about compettitions or winning prizes. Islam is actually silent on tis issue.
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)
It is not haram to win money from games because even Abu Bakr used to bet with the Quraysh.
Abu Bakr (rali) when the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “Alif-Laam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated in the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious, within three to nine years…” [al-Room 30:1-4] was revealed. The Persians were the ones who had defeated the Romans; the Romans were Christians, People of the Book, whilst the Persians were Magians (Zoroastrians), who had no revealed Book. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “… And on that day, the believers (i.e., Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allaah to the Romans against the Persians).” [al-Room 30:4], because the believers wanted the Christians to defeat the Persians as the Christians were People of the Book and therefore closer to Islam than the Magians. Quraysh, on the other hand, wanted the Magians to defeat the Romans, and said, “The Romans cannot defeat the Persians, because the Persians are stronger than they are, and they do not believe in the Qur’aan.” So Abu Bakr bet them a number of camels that (the Romans) would prevail within seven years. The seven years passed and nothing had happened. Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allaah (sal), who told him, “Add two years, and increase the bet” (Tafseer at Tabari in his authentic Tafseer- Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 10/165, 166, no. 27876 and Tirmidhi- 3194 with an authentic chain of narration)
It is not haram to win money from any kind of games be it video games or sports relate games.
Some try to quote the fatwa of Sheikh ul Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah to forbid playing games.
He said,
“If one of the two players, or an outsider, gives the prize, it is forbidden nevertheless, except in the case of something that is beneficial such as races or archery, as it says in the hadeeth: “There should be no (money) prizes for competitions except in archery, camel-racing and horse-racing”, because spending money on things that are of no benefit in either religious or worldly terms is not allowed, even if it is not gambling.” (Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 32/223)
In his fatwa, Ibn Taymiyyah quotes a hadith. Let us look at the hadith,
Abu Hurairah (Rali) narrated that The Messenger of Allah (sal) said ,”Prize money is allowed only for racing camels, shooting arrows or racing horses.” ( Ahmad -Ibn Hibban graded it as Sahih)
The above hadith is categorized under Jihad and the prize money means wages not competition. This is explained in the following hadith,
Narrated Abu Hurairah:
That the Prophet (sal) said: "No wage is acceptable except in archery, racing a camel, and racing a horse."(Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud-Graded Sahih by Albani)
For something to be haram, there needs clear texts and these hadiths does not mention anything about compettitions or winning prizes. Islam is actually silent on tis issue.
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)
It is not haram to win money from games because even Abu Bakr used to bet with the Quraysh.
Abu Bakr (rali) when the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “Alif-Laam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated in the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious, within three to nine years…” [al-Room 30:1-4] was revealed. The Persians were the ones who had defeated the Romans; the Romans were Christians, People of the Book, whilst the Persians were Magians (Zoroastrians), who had no revealed Book. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “… And on that day, the believers (i.e., Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allaah to the Romans against the Persians).” [al-Room 30:4], because the believers wanted the Christians to defeat the Persians as the Christians were People of the Book and therefore closer to Islam than the Magians. Quraysh, on the other hand, wanted the Magians to defeat the Romans, and said, “The Romans cannot defeat the Persians, because the Persians are stronger than they are, and they do not believe in the Qur’aan.” So Abu Bakr bet them a number of camels that (the Romans) would prevail within seven years. The seven years passed and nothing had happened. Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allaah (sal), who told him, “Add two years, and increase the bet” (Tafseer at Tabari in his authentic Tafseer- Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 10/165, 166, no. 27876 and Tirmidhi- 3194 with an authentic chain of narration)