Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

You mean to say betting is wrong, I think all the sports comes under betting that means we should not play any games is it , plz check, let me know about other games also.

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Answer:

Is betting gambling wrong

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verses 90-91:

90 O ye who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows are an abomination of the Shaytaan's handiwork: eschew such (abomination) that ye may prosper.

91 Shaytaan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?

Your Question: You mean to say betting is wrong

‘Betting’ on something whereby one wins/loses based merely on chance is a clear manifestation of the abomination of ‘maysir’ or gambling which is categorically forbidden to the believers who sincerely fear Allah and the Last Day.

Your Question: I think all the sports comes under betting that means we should not play any games is it ,

One may play or engage in a sport like football, or tennis, or cricket, or swimming, etc. with the intention to improve one’s health or fitness, or even to merely amuse oneself…..and there is absolutely no harm in occasionally playing such sports, provided its indulgence does not effect the fulfillment of one’s obligatory duties in Islam.

But if one places a ‘bet’ that such and such a sports team will win the ‘World Cup’, and one is entitled to win/lose something depending on whether his prediction was right or wrong…without an iota of a doubt, such ‘betting’ on sports (or anything else for that matter) would constitute the abomination of ‘maysir’ or gambling in the Sight of Allah Subhanah.

Respected brother, there is an obvious and clear distinction between playing a sport oneself, and placing a ‘bet’ or gambling in sport….one of them if done in moderation is lawful, the other absolutely and categorically unlawful.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan