Gambling & Sports
Q: What is the ruling on gambling on sports and using gambling apps?
All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all who follow them.
Islam & Recreation
Islam permits recreation as long as it bring benefits and avoids harm. However, it’s crucial to follow the guidelines set by Sharia to protect our faith, well-being, wealth, time, and the safety of ourselves and others. The Prophet ﷺ was asked if he told jokes. He said, “Yes! But, I don’t lie.”
Bets & Apps
Betting on sports outcomes, the number of goals, and similar events on social media and apps, where participants pay money and only the winner takes all, is clearly forbidden because it is a form of gambling, and doing it in apps, like Draft Kings, does not change the reality: It is gambling. Gambling i ls haram.
The Ruling of Gambling
Gamblin is unanimously forbidden in Sharia. Allah commands us to avoid it in the Qur’an: “O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?” [Al-Ma’idah: 90-91]
Shariah Definition of Gambling
Gambling is taking people’s money unjustly and is a major sin. Al-Qalyubi stated that gambling is forbidden and taking money through it is a major sin. It’s also forbidden to engage in any activity that leads to missing prayers or involves obscenity.
Earnings From Gambling
Gambling earnings are considered impure and should be returned to their owners. If that’s not possible, they should be used for public benefits to rid themselves of the impurity and avoid its sin. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “No servant acquires wealth through unlawful means, then spends from it and it is blessed for him, or gives charity with it and it is accepted from him, or leaves it behind except that it will be his provision to the Fire. Indeed, Allah does not erase evil with evil, but He erases evil with good. Indeed, the impure does not erase the impure.” [Narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad]. This means unlawful wealth is not accepted by Allah for charity because of its impurity, and leaving it without repentance leads to punishment in the Hereafter.
A Systemic Impact
The harms of gambling are evident from real-life incidents. It often leads to discord, strife, and hatred. The wisdom behind its prohibition is to prevent these negative outcomes. Gambling also affects family income and financial stability, leading to debt, family instability, and many marital problems. The harm and sin of gambling are confirmed both textually and rationally, and that is why Allah ﷻ describes it as {defilement from the work of Satan} in the Qur’an.
I ask Allah to protect us,
Suhaib