ISLAMIC RULING ON DICE GAMES

All shari’ah rulings are legislated with at least an objective it aimed at fulfilling. For every ruling there is a wisdom behind its legislation; known to man or hidden to him.

A famous hadith of the Prophet solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam recorded in Saheeh Muslim, narrated from Buraydah that the Prophet said: “whoever plays with dice, it is as if he were dipping his hand in the flesh and blood of a pig.”

The arabic version reads:
“روى مسلم عن بُرَيْدَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَنْ لَعِبَ بِالنَّرْدَشِيرِ، فَكَأَنَّمَا صَبَغَ يَدَهُ فِي لَحْمِ خِنْزِيرٍ وَدَمِهِ.”

Another hadith on dice is the hadith of Abu Moosa al’ash’ari whereby the Prophet has been reported to have said:
من لعب بالنردشير، فقد عصى الله ورسوله
“Whoever plays with dice has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.”

These particular ahadeeth are apparently denoting and used to argue that playing any form of dice game is haram (prohibited) in Islam.

You should firstly note that there was actually a dice game during the lifetime of the Prophet solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam. The game النردشير an-Nardasheer is best translated to the game called Backgammon. It is a board game that is played with the throw of dice. Present Ludo game is analogized to backgammon; a correct analogy, because there are a lot of similarities between these two games, even though there’s a little difference. Chess game, Scrabble, Bunco, Checkers, and other board and dice games have been analogized to Nardasheer, thus drawing the conclusion that they are all haram in Islam.

Any thinking Muslim or a student of knowledge may enquire the reason (s) behind the prohibition of generally board games and specifically those played with dice.

The reasons behind the prohibition of Backgammon (board and dice game) during the lifetime of the Prophet is not far-fetched. The Sahaabah and Taabi’een explained these reasons in their respective explanations.

The reason for the prohibition of such game is because they were described as coming under the heading of gambling, some of the scholars quoted as evidence the verse in which Allah warned against gambling and whatever may enhance Shaytan to spread enmity, hatred and rancor. Q5 verses 90 and 91.

It should be noted that the Prophet never forbade the Muslims from having funs and excitement during their leisure time, so far such fun or game doesn’t take a whole lot of time and distracts an individual from fulfilling his religious obligations. But the game Nardasheer was prohibited because during that time, it was only famously known to be a game of gambling. You can hardly seperate gambling from the game; hence the Prophet warned the Muslims from engaging in such game. This is a very logical and responsible verdict from the Prophet. And there have been clear Quranic injunctions against gambling and extortion of people’s wealth in a deceitful, lucky and cunny manner.

That is why during the time of the Sahaabah and Taabi’oon, it was reported that some of them would play this same Nardasheer (backgammon) in their respective homes in secret with their family.

Ibnu Abdil Barri narrated that Yazid bn Abi Khalid said, “I entered the house of Abdullah Bn Maghfil (a great sahabiy that participated in bay’atu Ridwan and war of Tabuk) while he and his wife were playing with dice (Nardasheer).”

It was also narrated that Ikrimah and Al-Shu’abi (two great scholars among the Taabi’oon) used to play with dice.

When the great Taabi’ee and the Imam of the Taabi’oon, Sa’eed bn al-Musayyib was asked about playing with dice, he said, “if it doesn’t involve gambling, then it is permissible.”

Is-haak said, “If it is played for teaching players the tricks of war, then it is reprehensible, but the players’ testimony isn’t rejected on these ground. It is probable that this prohibition pertains to playing dice that involves gambling.”

See Al-Tamheed, Vol 13 Pg180 for these narrations.

Likewise Imam Shaafi’i said Muhammad bn Seerin and Hisham bn Urwa (great Taabi’oon and scholars of Fiqh and hadeeth) would actually play chess in private. Alot of the Shaafi’iyah scholars do not consider board and dice games (that do not involve gambling) haram. As well as the early Hanabillah.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziy also explained the reason for prohibition of dice games as involvement of gambling and conclude that if the board game (dice or chess) does not include gambling (which has already been declared haram), then such is halal.
وفي علة تحريم النرد يقول ابن القيم رحمه الله: “وسرُّ المسألة وفقهها: أن الله سبحانه لمَّا حرَّم الميسر؛ هل هو لأجل ما فيه من المخاطرة المتضمِّنة لأكل المال بالباطل؟ فعلى هذا، إذا خلا عن العِوَض لم يكن حرامًا. فلهذا طَرد مَنْ طَرد ذلك هذا الأصل، وقال: إذا خَلا النَّرْد والشطرنج عن العِوَض، لم يكونا حرامًا.”
Ibn Qudaamah and alot of classical scholars also affirmed this.

Also, there is an hadith of the Sahabiy Abdullah bn Mas’ood (radiya Allahu anhu) that explains those above quoted ahadeeth of the Prophet that are mutlaq (unconditional).

Al-Bukhaari narrated in his al-Adab al-Mufrad (1270) that Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood said: Beware of these two marked cubes that are thrown, for they come under the heading of gambling.
إِيَّاكُمْ وَهَاتَيْنِ الْكَعْبَتَيْنِ الْمَوْسُومَتَيْنِ اللَّتَيْنِ يُزْجَرَانِ زَجْرًا، فَإِنَّهُمَا مِنَ الْمَيْسِرِ‏.

This also clearly states the reason for prohibition. And the unconditional ahadeeth will be explained by the conditional hadith and its genesis. This is based upon the known and agreed upon maxim which says: “القاعدة هي حمل المطلق على المقيد إذا اتحد السبب و الحكم”. When the sabab and ruling of a subject matter are the same, then, what are not specified (mutlaq) will be subjected to evidences that are specified (muqayyad).

It should also be stressed that gaming during the time of the Prophet and Sahabah is not the same today again. Today, technology has developed alot of gaming systems. The likes of Ps, Xboxes, 3D video games and etc have come on board. Likewise you can play alone on your mobile phone or laptop.

The bottom line is that while making fun and excitement, we must be careful of shari’ah injunctions. We must not let the gaming to have the whole of our time till we forget the neccessary and compulsory obligations of the Deen and that of our personal life.

The gaming or fun should be for refreshment. Despite some of the board games today increases one’s intelligence. Playing 3D video games can boost the formation of memories and improve hand-eye coordination and reaction times. There are cases whereby medical doctors are suggested to engage in video games. Such a game which increases logical and visual reasoning is Scrabble and etc.

The advise on making good use of our time is not only for dice or board games. Such advise is general for all kind of entertainment and fun we engage in. Some people spend unnecessary hours (catching fun) on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the likes, we will not consider using these apps haram on this basis; it will only be haram for an individual who allows these entertainment to take a lot of his time till he forgets/abandons his religious duties. Same to be said to sport; watching football, MMA and others.

Also, people of honour and dignity in the society should not engage and sit with people of low status and immoralities in the community to play games or watch certain sport with.

Apparently, we all agree that any form of game, fun, amusement or excitement that consist of gambling, cheating, spreading hatred, telling lies, false oaths is haram on such people who engage in such. And we should avoid such sittings as much as possible. But having a dice, board, or sport games in our homes with our families, there is nothing in the shari’ah that prohibits this so far the conditions explained above are met.

May Allah grant us happiness.