10 things the Q'uran preaches about gambling

Gambling is a favourite past time for a lot of people. Are you a good Muslim interested to know what your faith preaches about this act? Read on to find out.

1. Gambling is the fourteenth Greater Sin.

2. They ask you about intoxicants and games of chances. Say: in both of them there is a great sin...”(Surah al-Baqarah 2:219)

3. “Ithm al-kabir” means a very great sin. The Holy Qur’an has used this phrase only for drinking and gambling.”

4. The tradition related by Fazl Ibn Shazān from Imam ‘Ali ar-Riďa (a.s.) also included gambling among the Greater sins. Similarly, gambling is clearly mentioned as a Greater Sin in the tradition related by Amash from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.).

5. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), is reported to have told Abu Basir:

“It is Harām to sell chess. It is Harām to spend the income of this sale. To keep chess (board and pieces) in ones possession is tantamount to kufr (disbelief). To play chess is equal to ascribing partners to Allah. It is a sin even to salute one who plays chess. One who touches it in order to play it, it is, as if he has contaminated his hands by touching pork.”

6. The same tradition is recorded in the book Man La Yahzarul Faqih with the addition inter alia that: “To teach chess to others is also a kind of destructive sin.”

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7. Another proof is the following verse of Qur’an, which shows that gambling, is a Greater Sin:

“O you who believe! Intoxicants and (Maesir) games of chance and divining (azlam) by arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan’s work; shun it therefore that you may be successful.” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:90)

8. Games of chances that are mentioned in this Qur’anic verse include all types of gambling. The Arabicequivalent to this is “Maesir” which is derived from the root word “yusur” which means ‘ease’. Since a gambler does not perform a laborious work and is able to easily grab the money belonging to others, gambling is called“Maesir”.

9. The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance...” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:91). As far as gambling is concerned, enmity between the participants is the most natural outcome in a game of chance. The person who loses his money to his opponent is bound to resent him and have a feeling of vengeance and there is bound to be a winner and a loser. The dominating influence on the gamblers is that of hatred and enmity.

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10. An alcoholic in a state of intoxication is in no condition to remember Allah (S.w.T.) and he abandons even an obligation like Salāt. In the same way, the craze of a gambler to obtain wealth or make up for his losses is all consuming and he loses awareness of all obligatory acts including prayers. In order to stress this point, Allah (S.w.T.) continues in the same verse:

“Will you then desist?” (Surah al-Mā’ida 5:91)

It means that even after being informed of the demerits of these vices, will you still not reform?