Halal video games

Doom

Assalamu-alaikum,

This life is rapidly passing before us.
Every breathe brings us one step closer to our return to our Creator and accounting for our deeds.

Of what benefit would video games be to our imaan and our closeness to Allah?

Spend your time is that which will benefit your aakhirah -
Learn Arabic, hifz, deen.
Contribute to your community.
Spend time with the orphans, sick and needy.

"We only have a lifetime to prepare for eternity."

Make the most of it.

Yeah, I'd want to know too.........

Games sometimes motivate you, and activate your imagination.. Which makes you think.... Jannah is way better, which excites you even more.

I'd soo want destructive power with the shirk removed, obv.

Like sometimes, I find fire fascinating.. To become fire, to be fire, or water........ or to play mind games................


Allahu alam.

format_quote Originally Posted by .hasan.

I do try and do beneficial things when I can but I am interested in playing video games just a little. You should realise not everyone is able to do ibadah and study the deen 24/7 and it's very unfair to expect them to do so, I don't recall the prophet SAW ever saying we should never enjoy ourselves sometimes or have some halal entertainment. Most people need some time to relax doing something they find enjoyable.

And unless you spend every waking moment in ibadah and study of the deen, you really don't have a right to tell others to simply do religious things. There has to be moderation in everything.

Barakallahu feekum.

Assalamu-alaikum,

It was not suggested to engage in ibaadat 24/7.

Indeed, from the life of our Nabi sallalahu alaihi wasalam, this was not the case.

Question
I just want to know islamically where we stand when it comes to video games. I have just played a game called god of war 3 which is based on greek mythology. Although i dont believe in any aspect of the game and its story line a thought had hit me that islamically where do we stand when it comes to these games.
Basically the character is someone that kills greek gods in the game based on greek mythology. I would greatly appreciate it if you could clear this up for me as i want to eliminate as many haram things from my life as i can.


Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Verily, Allah has created us for the purpose of His worship[1]. One should adopt only those actions that lead us to the recognition, pleasure and nearness of Allah. Likewise, all futile and useless activities which result in no good in both the worlds should be abandoned[2].

Allah says, “And from among the people, there is he who buys the distracting amusement of things, so that he, being devoid of knowledge, may mislead (people) from the Way of Allah and make a mockery of it. Such people are the ones for whom there is a disgraceful punishment”[3]

Video games generally fall in the category of amusement (lahw) and is thus detested and should be avoided[4].

The perfection of a person`s faith and obedience is in his abstinence from that which is useless and brings forth no goodness[5].

The playing of video games not only prevents a person from using time effectively but generally involves listening to music and vulgar language, viewing indecent material and is also responsible for serious social and psychological implications too[6].

It will be impermissible to play any video game which either:

(1) brings forth no good in this world or the Hereafter;
(2) Entails anything contrary to Islamic law;
(3) Comprises more harm and evil than benefit and good;
(4) Or is simply undertaken for amusement purposes and is a hindrance from total servitude to Allah[7].

The video game in question, `God of War`, nevertheless comprises of no goodness, involves violence and brutality against the creation, forms an addiction, and moreover, fundamentally many of the aspects contradict the tenets of Islamic faith. Amongst many factors, the game depicts `God` as deceiving, cunning, helpless, prone to err and defeated. Allah, in reality, is pure from any defect or weakness and from similarity to any creation[8].

This game may have a detrimental effect to a person`s faith and spiritual wellbeing. To attribute such characteristics to Allah even in play and joke will constitute kufr [9]and disbelief[10].


The specific video game in reference, God of War 3, is clearly prohibited.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Hanif Yusuf Patel
Student, Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/26709

Kindly suggest a video game that would fulfill criteria 1-4: specifically to this post - a game that would bring forth goodness for our Hereafter, not distract one from the remembrance of Allah, and is not undertaken purely for amusement ?

Moreover, these games have an addictive nature by their design. What is often intended for a few minutes of amusement,quickly turns into hours of life spent in futility.

How is it possible that our ummah is in such crisis around the globe - from Syria to Rohingya and beyond, yet we can consider spending time on games?

If our beloved Rasulullah sallalahu alaihi wasalam was with us today - can we imagine him wasting away his time in video games? (Na'udoobillah)

As suggested earlier - there are permissible and healthier ways of entertainment in Islam.
Consider joining an active sport - swimming, horseback riding, archery are from the advises and Sunnah of Nabi sallalahu alaihi wasalam - so not only does one gain in fitness, skill and enjoyment, but with the correct intention, can achieve rewards for holding fast to any of his teachings.

format_quote Originally Posted by ~Zaria~

Assalamu-alaikum,

It was not suggested to engage in ibaadat 24/7.

Indeed, from the life of our Nabi sallalahu alaihi wasalam, this was not the case.




Kindly suggest a video game that would fulfill criteria 1-4: specifically to this post - a game that would bring forth goodness for our Hereafter, not distract one from the remembrance of Allah, and is not undertaken purely for amusement ?

Moreover, these games have an addictive nature by their design. What is often intended for a few minutes of amusement,quickly turns into hours of life spent in futility.

How is it possible that our ummah is in such crisis around the globe - from Syria to Rohingya and beyond, yet we can consider spending time on games?

If our beloved Rasulullah sallalahu alaihi wasalam was with us today - can we imagine him wasting away his time in video games? (Na'udoobillah)

As suggested earlier - there are permissible and healthier ways of entertainment in Islam.
Consider joining an active sport - swimming, horseback riding, archery are from the advises and Sunnah of Nabi sallalahu alaihi wasalam - so not only does one gain in fitness, skill and enjoyment, but with the correct intention, can achieve rewards for holding fast to any of his teachings.

Firstly, I don't follow (Mufti) Ebrahim desai and his reasoning in this fatwa is flawed. If a person is only allowed to play games/ entertain himself if it brings benefit for them in this life and the afterlife then that would mean that it's now impermissible to chat or joke with friends, go out to a halal restaurant, wear or eat something that you like and many more.We would be extremely restricted in our everyday lives and that is not what our religion is.

I can't link fatwas here, but IslamQA and Islamweb have stated clearly that video games are halal to play as long as the content conforms to Sharia.

The scholars have clearly mentioned the requirements for playing games and nowhere do they say that the games must bring either worldly or hereafter benefits.

Also, there are games that don't contain anything haram which have been suggested above by other brothers and sisters.

And yes, I agree the Prophet Pbuh would not be playing video games, but at the same time he would not be on this forum either....

Video games aren't necessarily an addiction, many people are able to successfully balance their gaming and work, granted some do fall into an addiction. But that is not due to games per say, a person can also become addicted to many things, lets say someone is addicted to chocolate, does chocolate now become haram as a whole for everyone? If a person is weak willed then he can become addicted to anything.

Our ummah is in crisis, because people have become astray from the deen. It's important to bring them back to it, and even more important to keep the people who are practising, close to the deen and not drive them away from it with our approach. By imposing so many imaginary restrictions in Islam, you will simply cause the deeni people to drift away from Islam, since they may become frustrated that they have been denied their outlet of relaxation and so turn to haram as you can see by looking around. You should be happy, we are only playing games which are halal. Look around, you will find many youth astray and in serious haram.

There's no doubt that sports are beneficial and there's no reason why you can't do sports and play video games. You should really not infer/imply that video games are haram and try to stop others from playing them. Everyone has a right to enjoy themselves in whatever lawful manner they wish and this stance is supported by Islam.

format_quote Originally Posted by .hasan.

And yes, I agree the Prophet Pbuh would not be playing video games....

^ Jazakallahu khair, that is all that needs to be said.

This is sufficient reason not to be engaging in fruitless activities that distract our ummah from the remembrance of Allah.

format_quote Originally Posted by .hasan.

but at the same time he would not be on this forum either....

Why?
If ones intention to be on IslamicBoard is to increase in beneficial knowledge, that will draw one closer to Allah - whilst not transgressing shariah - why would this be impermissible?