Islamic ruling on playing games with dice

[SMichael]

I have heard that Muslims are forbidden to play with dice. Apparently there is a hadith of Sunan Abu Dawud where the Prophet SAWS says "He who plays with dice will be deemed as a person thrusting his hands in pig's blood." There is another hadith by Malik that says "He who plays with a dice has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger."

Is this condemning the use of dice in all contexts, or just in gambling. At the time of the Prophet SAWS board games didn't exist, so dice were just used for gambling. Is interpreting this hadith to condemn dice in board games being too legalistic?

However, an Islamic sotre that stocks the board game "Mecca to Medina", which uses a dice, states that Mufti Desai has said that dice are okay. However, IslamOnline.net states the following: "Imam Shafi`i and other Muslim scholars (the majority of them) have taken this hadith as evidence to condemn games using a dice."

Does this mean that playing Monopoly (which I love) is haram? What if a spinner is used to determine the random number instead, or what if an electronic die is used?

What do you do when two statements by two scholars contradict each other?

[Yahya]

According to the Shafi'i school, dice are Haram. That includes Monopoly, and includes games where there is no gambling. It is not the result of being too legalistic. The Islamic law frequently distinguishes between the "reason" for a prohibition and the prohibition itself. In these cases, if the reason for the prohibition is not there, then the prohibited thing is not prohibited. If dice were such a case, then they would be always Haram.


As far as what to do when two scholars contradict, there is a process which must be completed. First, the only scholars who are qualified to issue judgments are mujtahids. So you must first ensure that the opinion you are considering is a legitimate opinion. Second, if the two contradicting opinions are both legitimate (ie. they come from the mujtahids), then an independent scholar who has reached the level of tarjeeH is qualified to examine those 2 opinions and the evidence supporting them, then issue his opinion regarding which judgment has stronger evidence. Third, if several scholars of tarjeeH have disagreed regarding which opinion is stronger, then a scholar who has reached the level of naql is qualified to determine which of the scholars of tarjeeH to follow on that particular issue.

The final decision is known as the Mu'tamad, the relied upon opinion of the school. We should strive to follow the mu'tamad. However, those who have studied fiqh extensively will frequently know what the other opinions are, and may even know which ones are strong enough to be followed (even though they are not the mu'tamad).

[SMichael]

According to the Shafi'i school, dice are Haram. That includes Monopoly, and includes games where there is no gambling. It is not the result of being too legalistic. The Islamic law frequently distinguishes between the "reason" for a prohibition and the prohibition itself. In these cases, if the reason for the prohibition is not there, then the prohibited thing is not prohibited. If dice were such a case, then they would be always Haram.

What about using a spinner to play Monopoly? You know, you have a pointer in the middle of a wheel and you spin it around and the end points to a number, and then you move your token that many spaces?

A Muslim lady I've talked to is married to a man who follows the Zahari school, which is very literal, and she told me that spinners are okay.

[Yahya]

The Thahiri school is now defunct. A person may read the books of the school, but I don't know if its permitted to follow it.

I don't know about spinners. But most likely there is a way to play some form of monopoly. Interesting question.

[taofik]

s/a
i really have no idea of what a spinner look like, am a big fan of monopoly too.

[abuhajira]

Question

Monopoly is a game played for amusement in the United States. This game simulates dealing in real estate, United States style. It is not played for money, so there is no gambling. Simulated mortgages (riba) are part of the play, but there is no real money involved. Is playing Monopoly permissible? Please explain your answer.

Answer

Hazrat Mufti Mahmood Saheb, the former Grand Mufti of India, mentioned the following principle by which games could be judged:

That game would be permissible which is not an exclusive symbol (Shi-'aar) of the Kuffaar or Fussaq, there is no condition of money being wagered on winning or losing and furthermore, by playing the game Deeni obligations are not left out, and there is nothing contrary to Shari'ah in it.

Those games and sports whereby a person's health is maintained and increased and the intention thereby is to become able-bodied against the enemies of Islâm and to acquire skills for Jihaad then by this intention, such sports and games will, in fact, be encouraged like in the case of horse riding and swimming. Mahmoodiyah (Vol. 15 Pg. 364-365)

From this it could be understood that playing games like monopoly would be permissible, however spending ones valuable time on more fruitful pursuits would be preferred.

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Ml. Husain Kadodia
STUDENT: Darul Ifta
CHECKED & APPROVED:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai

[JayshAllah]

Ml. Husain Kadodia

Our resident mufti!

Mufti Husain, can you tell us what your view is of chess?

[umairel]

There are more ahadeeth about use of dice.


Rasool Allah salallaho alaihai wasalam warned that these dice open the door to gambling: "Whoever plays with dice, it is as if he dipped his finger in the flesh and blood of swine." (Reported by Muslim, 4/1770).

Abu Moosa radi allahu anhu reported that Nabi Akram salallaho alaihai wasalam said: "Whoever plays with dice has disobeyed Allaah and His Rasool." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 4/394).


So, is playing Lodo is haram??