❖ Detailed Ruling: Chess is Impermissible in Shari’ah with Evidences ❖
Source:
Ahkam wa Masail: Issues of Jihad and Leadership, Volume 1, Page 455
What is the Islamic ruling on playing chess, which has become quite common nowadays? A detailed answer supported by clear evidences is required to dispel all kinds of doubts. This doubt arises because when some teachers were asked about chess, they responded:
✿ If chess is played with a wager (i.e., gambling), then it is haram.
✿ If played merely to pass time, then at most we can say it is makruh (disliked).
Upon further investigation, when the commentaries of Sharh Sahih Muslim, Awn al-Ma‘bood, and the annotations of Mishkat along with references from Mirqat were studied, various opinions of scholars were found, keeping the matter ambiguous. To resolve this confusion, your detailed guidance is being sought.
Alḥamdulillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allāh. To proceed:
Playing chess is impermissible (nā-jāʾiz) because there are clear statements from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ that explicitly indicate its prohibition.
«کُلُّ شَيْئٍ يَلْهُوْ بِهِ الرَّجُلُ بَاطِلٌ اِلاَّ رَمْیَ الرَّجُلِ بِقَوْسِهِ وَتَأْدِيْبَهُ فَرَسَهُ وَمُلاَعَبَتَهُ اَهْلَهُ فَإِنَّهُنَّ مِنَ الْحَقِّ»
(Sunan al-Dārimī, Vol. 2, Pg. 124, Ḥadīth 2410)
Translation:
"Everything with which a man amuses himself is falsehood (bāṭil), except for:
◈ Shooting arrows with his bow,
◈ Training his horse,
◈ Playing with his wife;
for indeed, these are from the truth."
Clarification:
The commentator Sayyid ʿAbdullāh Hāshim Yamānī writes:
"Also narrated by Aḥmad, the four (Sunan), Ibn al-Jārūd, Ibn Ḥibbān, and al-Ḥākim, who authenticated it; and al-Dhahabī agreed with him. (Vol. 2, Pg. 124)."
«کُلُّ شَيْئٍ لَيْسَ مِنْ ذِکْرِ اﷲِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ فَهُوَ (لَغْوٌوَّ) لَهْوٌ وَسَهْوٌ اِلاَّ اَرْبَعَ خِصَالٍ: مَشْیَ الرَّجُلِ بَيْنَ الْغَرَضَيْنِ، وَتَادِيْبَهُ فَرَسَهُ، وَمُلاَعَبَتَهُ اَهْلَهُ، وَتَعَلُّمَ السَّبَاحَةِ»
Translation:
"Everything that does not involve the remembrance of Allāh ﷻ is frivolity (laghw), amusement (lahw), and heedlessness (sahw), except for four things:
◈ Walking between the two targets (for archery practice),
◈ Training one’s horse,
◈ Playing with one’s wife,
◈ Learning to swim."
Reference:
Narrated by al-Nasā’ī in Kitāb ʿIshrat al-Nisā’ (folio 74/2), and the additional text is from al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (89/1/2), and Abū Nuʿaym in Aḥādīth Abī al-Qāsim al-Aṣamm (folio 17/17), through two chains from Muḥammad ibn Salamah from Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥīm from ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Bukht from ʿAṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ who said:
"I saw Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh and Jābir ibn ʿUmayr al-Anṣārī (may Allāh be pleased with them) practicing archery. When one of them sat down out of fatigue, the other said: 'Have you become lazy? I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say…'"
Clarification:
This chain is authentic. All its narrators are trustworthy (thiqāt), and they are the narrators of Muslim except for ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Bukht, who is also unanimously reliable.
(Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Vol. 4)
These narrations clearly indicate that any pastime or amusement that:
✿ Is not included in the remembrance of Allāh,
✿ Is not proven by any Sharʿī evidence,
...then such activity is categorized as falsehood (bāṭil), frivolity (laghw), and amusement (lahw).
✔ Chess is not among those activities that the Prophet ﷺ declared to be permissible or part of the truth.
✔ Its permissibility is not established from either the Qur’ān or Sunnah.
Although Imām Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله has raised some objections regarding these narrations, those objections are not strong and go against the consensus (jamhoor) of the scholars.
From the above narrations and their general implications, it becomes clear that:
① Playing chess is impermissible (nā-jāʾiz).
② Because it is neither a form of dhikr, nor an act of worship, nor a beneficial physical training.
③ Nor does any Sharʿī evidence exist that permits it.
④ The general implication of the Aḥādīth indicates its prohibition.
⑤ The term "bāṭil" in the first ḥadīth is clarified in another narration as "laghw, lahw, sahw".
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold, and Allāh knows best what is correct.
Source:
Ahkam wa Masail: Issues of Jihad and Leadership, Volume 1, Page 455
❀ Question:
What is the Islamic ruling on playing chess, which has become quite common nowadays? A detailed answer supported by clear evidences is required to dispel all kinds of doubts. This doubt arises because when some teachers were asked about chess, they responded:
✿ If chess is played with a wager (i.e., gambling), then it is haram.
✿ If played merely to pass time, then at most we can say it is makruh (disliked).
Upon further investigation, when the commentaries of Sharh Sahih Muslim, Awn al-Ma‘bood, and the annotations of Mishkat along with references from Mirqat were studied, various opinions of scholars were found, keeping the matter ambiguous. To resolve this confusion, your detailed guidance is being sought.
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allāh. To proceed:
Playing chess is impermissible (nā-jāʾiz) because there are clear statements from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ that explicitly indicate its prohibition.
❖ First Hadith:
«کُلُّ شَيْئٍ يَلْهُوْ بِهِ الرَّجُلُ بَاطِلٌ اِلاَّ رَمْیَ الرَّجُلِ بِقَوْسِهِ وَتَأْدِيْبَهُ فَرَسَهُ وَمُلاَعَبَتَهُ اَهْلَهُ فَإِنَّهُنَّ مِنَ الْحَقِّ»
(Sunan al-Dārimī, Vol. 2, Pg. 124, Ḥadīth 2410)
Translation:
"Everything with which a man amuses himself is falsehood (bāṭil), except for:
◈ Shooting arrows with his bow,
◈ Training his horse,
◈ Playing with his wife;
for indeed, these are from the truth."
Clarification:
The commentator Sayyid ʿAbdullāh Hāshim Yamānī writes:
"Also narrated by Aḥmad, the four (Sunan), Ibn al-Jārūd, Ibn Ḥibbān, and al-Ḥākim, who authenticated it; and al-Dhahabī agreed with him. (Vol. 2, Pg. 124)."
❖ Second Hadith:
«کُلُّ شَيْئٍ لَيْسَ مِنْ ذِکْرِ اﷲِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ فَهُوَ (لَغْوٌوَّ) لَهْوٌ وَسَهْوٌ اِلاَّ اَرْبَعَ خِصَالٍ: مَشْیَ الرَّجُلِ بَيْنَ الْغَرَضَيْنِ، وَتَادِيْبَهُ فَرَسَهُ، وَمُلاَعَبَتَهُ اَهْلَهُ، وَتَعَلُّمَ السَّبَاحَةِ»
Translation:
"Everything that does not involve the remembrance of Allāh ﷻ is frivolity (laghw), amusement (lahw), and heedlessness (sahw), except for four things:
◈ Walking between the two targets (for archery practice),
◈ Training one’s horse,
◈ Playing with one’s wife,
◈ Learning to swim."
Reference:
Narrated by al-Nasā’ī in Kitāb ʿIshrat al-Nisā’ (folio 74/2), and the additional text is from al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (89/1/2), and Abū Nuʿaym in Aḥādīth Abī al-Qāsim al-Aṣamm (folio 17/17), through two chains from Muḥammad ibn Salamah from Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥīm from ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Bukht from ʿAṭā’ ibn Abī Rabāḥ who said:
"I saw Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh and Jābir ibn ʿUmayr al-Anṣārī (may Allāh be pleased with them) practicing archery. When one of them sat down out of fatigue, the other said: 'Have you become lazy? I heard the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ say…'"
Clarification:
This chain is authentic. All its narrators are trustworthy (thiqāt), and they are the narrators of Muslim except for ʿAbd al-Wahhāb ibn Bukht, who is also unanimously reliable.
(Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah, Vol. 4)
❖ Meaning and Implication of These Aḥādīth:
These narrations clearly indicate that any pastime or amusement that:
✿ Is not included in the remembrance of Allāh,
✿ Is not proven by any Sharʿī evidence,
...then such activity is categorized as falsehood (bāṭil), frivolity (laghw), and amusement (lahw).
✔ Chess is not among those activities that the Prophet ﷺ declared to be permissible or part of the truth.
✔ Its permissibility is not established from either the Qur’ān or Sunnah.
❖ Position of Imām Ibn Ḥazm:
Although Imām Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله has raised some objections regarding these narrations, those objections are not strong and go against the consensus (jamhoor) of the scholars.
❖ Conclusion:
From the above narrations and their general implications, it becomes clear that:
① Playing chess is impermissible (nā-jāʾiz).
② Because it is neither a form of dhikr, nor an act of worship, nor a beneficial physical training.
③ Nor does any Sharʿī evidence exist that permits it.
④ The general implication of the Aḥādīth indicates its prohibition.
⑤ The term "bāṭil" in the first ḥadīth is clarified in another narration as "laghw, lahw, sahw".
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
This is what I hold, and Allāh knows best what is correct.
