Question
There is currently a cricket competition being played amongst different Masajid. Each team is required to pay an enrolment fee of $1500. There is a total of 28 teams in the competitions. There are prizes awarded for first, second and third place. Is it permissible for me to participate in this competition? My intent is just to play the sport and have a good time with my Muslim brothers.
Answer
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Generally in these tournaments and competitions, the money collected from enrollment and entrance fees go towards the prizes and thus will be prohibited as it falls into the definition of Qimar (gambling). The Jurists have stated that Qimar (gambling) is defined as any monetary transaction or arrangement where one’s wealth is between ghunm and ghurm i.e winning or losing.
Each team that is enrolled in the tournament has the possibility of losing its entrance fee or gaining in multiple folds and hence impermissible as it is Qimar (gambling). The Great Hanafi Jurist, Ibn Abideen (ra) mentions regarding competitions, that Qimar (gambling) exists when there are monetary contributions from both teams and one team stands the risk of losing its money to the other team/s or stands to benefit by receiving the monies of the losing team/s.[1]
In conclusion, to participate in such tournaments is not permissible as each team/player would be regarded as a gambler or for the least, one assisting in gambling.
Gambling is one of the major sins in Islam. Allah Ta’aala has mentioned in the Quran;
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
O you who believe, wine, gambling, altars, and divining arrows are an abomination of the devil’s work, so stay away from it so that you may be successful (7:90).
Recommendations
If the following measures are adopted, it will be permissible to participate in the competition;
- The prizes are provided/sponsored independently from the facilitators of the tournament or any other person/s and not from the pool of funds accumulated from the competitors.[2] (Nb: If taken from a specific competitor it will also be valid).
- After each team pays their enrollment fee, which if reflective of the overhead cost of the tournament (sporting facilities, security, umpiring, scoring etc.), and additional amount can be requested from them in the form of a donation (not mandatory) which can go towards the prizes.
The Concept of Entertainment in Islam
Allah has created human beings with needs and desires, just as they need to eat and drink, they also need to relax, and to enjoy themselves. Accordingly, there is no harm in a person entertaining himself in order to relax his mind or refreshing himself with some permissible sport or amusement. However, the pursuit of pleasure and entertainment should not become the goal of one’s life, in that a person devotes himself to it, forgetting his real purpose of life. Season your life with amusement in the same proportion as you season your food with salt.
Entertainment and enjoyment, must be within the limits and boundaries laid down by Islam. A sport in itself may be permissible, however if associated with evils; such music, indecency, immodesty, intermingling of the sexes, negligence of Salah etc., it will be impermissible.
And Allah Knows Best
Mufti Kaleem Muhammad
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom
Marabella, Trinidad
[1] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 403)
(قوله من الجانبين) بأن يقول إن سبق فرسك فلك علي كذا، وإن سبق فرسي فلي عليك كذا زيلعي وكذا إن قال إن سبق إبلك أو سهمك إلخ تتارخانية (قوله لأنه يصير قمارا) لأن القمار من القمر الذي يزداد تارة وينقص أخرى، وسمي القمار قمارا لأن كل واحد من المقامرين ممن يجوز أن يذهب ماله إلى صاحبه، ويجوز أن يستفيد مال صاحبه وهو حرام بالنص، ولا كذلك إذا شرط من جانب واحد لأن الزيادة والنقصان لا تمكن فيهما بل في أحدهما تمكن الزيادة، وفي الآخر الانتقاص فقط فلا تكون مقامرة لأنها مفاعلة منه زيلعي
[2] الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 403)
(قوله من جانب واحد) أو من ثالث بأن يقول أحدهما لصاحبه إن سبقتني أعطيتك كذا، وإن سبقتك لا آخذ منك شيئا أو يقول الأمير لفارسين أو راميين من سبق منكما فله كذا، وإن سبق فلا شيء له اختيار وغرر الأفكا
