Is chess forbidden in Islam and if so why?

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38908

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	Mahmood Abu Maryam, Trying to make sense of it all... 54 Questions Answered	Ask
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	Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD from the University of Exeter in the philosophical and mystical readings of Mulla Sadra in the context of the schools of Tehran and Qum. 374 Answers
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	Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the Islamic College in London and also the Managing Editor of the Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies. 730 Answers	Passed
	Zaid Alsalami, Shaykh Dr Zaid Alsalami is an Iraqi born scholar, raised in Australia. He obtained a BA from Al-Mustafa University, Qom, and an MA from the Islamic College in London. He also obtained a PhD from ANU, Canberra. He has written and translated several Islamic texts and also prepared educational videos on Islamic rulings and practices. 856 Answers	Passed

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 4 years ago

Ayatullah Sistani and Ayatullah Khoei and Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr and most of our great scholars say that playing chess is forbidden, based on very clear evidence from the Prophet (SAWA) and Ahlul Bayt (AS). In Wasaa'il al-Shia , Volume 17, page 323 , you can see at least eight authentic Hadeeths stating that chess is forbidden,bwhile no single Hadeeth allowing chess. Some people claim that sime Ulama said that chess is allowed. That claim is not correct. Those Ulama never said that chess is always allowed but only if it is used and understood in the society as a mean to activate thinking. That is a conditional permission only under such situation and for those who do their Taqleed.

Every Mo'min after all must follow the verdict of his Marje' of Taqleed.

The question of : Why? Is the same for all the Islamic rules. All Islamic rules are based on the benefit for the human beings. Every forbidden act is very harmful whether we know the details of the harm or not. Why men are not allowed to wear gold or pure silk? Allah and His messenger and Ahlul Bayt know the harm. We believe in whatever Allah ordered the Prophet (SAWA) to convey to us.

People's opinions differ from time to time and due to different reasons, but true religions does not change.

Wassalam.

Zoheir Ali Esmail, Shaykh Zoheir Ali Esmail has a Bsc in Accounting and Finance from the LSE in London, and an MA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University. He studied Arabic at Damascus University and holds a PhD... Answered 4 years ago

Bismillah

Thank you for your question. Jurists have come to different conclusions on the permissibility of playing chess based on traditions that indicate its impermissibility. For those that allow chess, the main thrust of the arguments I have seen is that while at the time these scriptural sources were proclaimed and recorded, chess was a tool for gambling and that is no longer the case. So chess was not forbidden as a game in itself, but that it was associated with gambling.

May you always be successful