Is checkers board game permissible to play?

Question:

السلام علیکم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Hope ML is doing well

My question is checkers board game halaal to pay

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Time is one of the most valuable assets that a person has. Islam has encouraged us to spend our time wisely and not use it in frivolous pursuits. While there is an allowance to engage in certain activities, a Muslim should be mindful of how they spend their time.

Allah ﷻ says in the Quran:

          وَالْعَصْرِ (1) إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ (2) إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ (3)

(I swear) by the Time (1) man is in a state of loss indeed (2) except those who believed and did righteous deeds, and exhorted each other to follow truth, and exhorted each other to observe patience (3)

Rasulullah ﷺ said in a Hadith:

Abdullah Ibn Dhamrah said that the he heard Abu Hurayrah Radiyallahu anhu saying that he heard Rasulullah ﷺ saying “Lo! Indeed the world is cursed. What is in it is cursed, except for remembrance of Allah, what is conducive to that, the knowledgeable person and the learning person[1].”

Finally, it is allowed to occasionally play checkers which is also known as draughts, provided that there are no violations of the Shari’ah nor does it become a habit where one is engaged in it frequently. In addition, one should make the intention to leave off frivolous pursuits and focus on matters of Deen/religion and the hereafter[2].

A few things that one should ensure while participating in checker/draughts are:

• They do not forego the five times Salaah and other compulsory religious obligations.
• They do not play in a gathering where there is music, alcohol and the intermingling of the sexes (especially if non-Mahrams are playing against each other).
• Gambling and betting should not be involved.

Note: the above-mentioned points are not exhaustive, a person should ensure that there are no other violations of Shari’ah present while paying.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mufti Mujahid Dan Lubrin

Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)

22^nd November 2024 – 20^th Jumādal Ulā 1446

www.fatwa-tt.com /www.jaamia.net

[1] Tirmīdhī: 2322

[2] See: Ahsanul Fatāwā Vol. 8 pgs. 240 – 243 H.M Sa’īd, Fatāwā Mahmūdiyyah Vol.19 pgs. 536 -537 Fārūqiyyah