Author: Dr. Muhammad Zia-ur-Rahman Azmi (رحمہ اللہ)
"There is no competition with compensation except in archery, horse racing, and camel racing."
[Sunan An-Nasa'i, Hadith No. 3585]
This hadith specifies that receiving compensation for competitions is only permissible in the above three activities because they serve as training and preparation for jihad in the path of Allah.
Some scholars also include competitions in Islamic knowledge under this category, arguing that the pursuit of knowledge is a form of jihad in the path of Allah. Therefore, offering rewards or compensation for competitions in Islamic disciplines is also deemed permissible. This view is supported by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمہ اللہ).
"There is no competition with compensation except in camel racing, horse racing, and archery."
[Al-Lajnah Ad-Daimah: 1818]
This classification helps differentiate between lawful and unlawful competitions and emphasizes the importance of adhering to Islamic guidelines regarding compensation and sports.
Reference: [Ibn Uthaymeen: Noor ‘Ala al-Darb, 1/237]
Competitions for Compensation or Reward:
Participating in competitions for monetary or material compensation, except for cases specified by Shariah, is prohibited. This ruling is based on the hadith:"There is no competition with compensation except in archery, horse racing, and camel racing."
[Sunan An-Nasa'i, Hadith No. 3585]
This hadith specifies that receiving compensation for competitions is only permissible in the above three activities because they serve as training and preparation for jihad in the path of Allah.
Extending the Permissibility to Other Combat-Related Activities:
On this basis, scholars have extended this ruling to include competitions involving activities specifically related to warfare and combat, such as riding other types of mounts or using weapons.Some scholars also include competitions in Islamic knowledge under this category, arguing that the pursuit of knowledge is a form of jihad in the path of Allah. Therefore, offering rewards or compensation for competitions in Islamic disciplines is also deemed permissible. This view is supported by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمہ اللہ).
Prohibited Competitions:
Competitions involving running races, wrestling, calligraphy, and dictation are not included in this category and are therefore not permissible for compensation. These activities do not directly relate to preparation for jihad and thus are excluded by both the wording and meaning of the text.Competitions Involving Haram Activities:
Competitions involving activities such as chess or backgammon (nard) are strictly prohibited, whether compensation is involved or not. Such competitions are classified as gambling (qimar) and are explicitly forbidden in Islam.Three Types of Competitions:
① Prohibited Competitions:- Competitions involving haram activities (e.g., chess, backgammon) are forbidden in all circumstances.
- Running races, wrestling, calligraphy competitions, etc., are permissible without compensation but are haram when compensation is involved.
- Competitions related to archery, camel racing, and horse racing are permissible both with and without compensation. Scholars have extended this ruling to include similar activities, such as mounted combat and Islamic knowledge contests.
Definition of “Compensation” in this Context:
The term ‘awad (compensation) refers to the entry fees or amounts paid by participants or teams to compete in a tournament, where the combined amount is given as a reward to the winner. This also includes betting, which is considered a form of gambling.Ruling on Betting:
Betting falls under the category of gambling and is only permissible in the activities specified by Shariah (camel racing, horse racing, and archery). As stated in the hadith:"There is no competition with compensation except in camel racing, horse racing, and archery."
[Al-Lajnah Ad-Daimah: 1818]
This classification helps differentiate between lawful and unlawful competitions and emphasizes the importance of adhering to Islamic guidelines regarding compensation and sports.
Reference: [Ibn Uthaymeen: Noor ‘Ala al-Darb, 1/237]