Praise be to Allah.
and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah.
The one who looks at these games will see that they are based on mental skills and individual reactions or decisions. These games are of various types, with many aspects. Some of them take the form of illusionary battles which train a person in what to do in similar circumstances [in real life]; some are based on being alert so as to save oneself from danger; fighting enemies and destroying targets; planning; having adventures; finding the way out of a labyrinth; escaping from wild beasts; racing cars, planes, etc.; overcoming obstacles; searching for treasure. Some games increase knowledge and enhance ones interests, such as games that involve taking things apart and putting them back together, jigsaw puzzles, building things, colouring, and shading and lighting.
The shar'i ruling:
Islam does not forbid leisure or having fun in permissible ways. The basic rule concerning these games is that they are permissible so long as they do not get in the way of obligatory duties such as establishing prayer [i.e., praying properly and on time] and honouring ones parents, and so long as they do not include anything that is haraam. There are, however, many haraam elements in these games, such as the following:
Games which depict wars between the people of this world (good guys) and people from the sky (bad guys), with all its implications of accusations against Allaah, may He be glorified, or the noble angels.
Games which involve sanctifying the cross or passing over or by it to gain strength, to bring one back to life or the give the player extra lives and so on. Also, games which are used for designing birthday cards as in Christian culture are also forbidden.
Games which approve of witchcraft/magic, and which glorify witches/magicians/sorcerers, etc.
Games which are based on hatred of Islam and Muslims, like the game in which a player gets 100 points if he hits Makkah, 50 points if he hits Baghdaad, and so on.
