Is Playing Chess Forbidden?

On the matter at hand, anyone who is not qualified to exercise independent legal reasoning must consult their own religious authority and obtain a ruling.

If we examine the matter academically, we encounter the following points:

Some hadiths regard chess both as gambling and, independently, as a forbidden instrument.

In light of the hadiths concerning chess, its prohibition is not limited to its being an instrument of gambling.

Chess is considered an invention of Satan, and the order and arrangement involved in its moves raise concerns that it may have an occult influence.

The chess pieces, which take the form of various figures, make the matter more complicated. The squares and lines of the board also give rise to concerns about a kind of bewitchment.

It is a mysterious means of attracting devils and jinn.

It dulls the heart’s sensitivity and leads to hardness of heart.

It is a frivolous pastime that distracts people from important and fundamental tasks.

The intellectual, spiritual and physical enslavement involved in chess is palpable and has its own consequences.

Although chess is claimed to be a form of mental exercise, the restriction and stagnation of the mind are clearly evident in it.

At times, chess players seem to enter a state of worship, as though they were gathered around their own temple—an act of retreat devoted to figures!

A condition of piety is to avoid doubtful matters, and so on.

It is reported from Abū al-Ḥasan, peace be upon him, that he said: “Backgammon, chess and Fourteen are all alike; everything wagered upon is a game of chance.”

Zayd al-Shaḥḥām said: “I asked Abū ʿAbd Allāh about the words of God, Mighty and Majestic: ‘So shun the defilement of idols and shun false speech.’ He said: ‘The defilement of idols is chess, and false speech is singing.’”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said that the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, had said: “Chess and backgammon are both games of chance.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “Chess is falsehood.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “Every night of Ramadan, God frees people from the Fire, except one who breaks the fast with an intoxicant, one who bears enmity toward another, or one who plays shāhīn.” I asked, “And what is a player of shāhīn?” He replied: “Chess.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh was asked about chess, the game of Shabīb, known as the Prince’s Game, and the game of Three. He said: “Tell me: when truth is distinguished from falsehood, which side does it belong to?” I replied: “Falsehood.” He said: “Then there is no good in it.”

Concerning the words of God, Blessed and Exalted: “So shun the defilement of idols and shun false speech,” Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “The defilement of idols is chess, and false speech is singing.”

In the presence of Abū ʿAbd Allāh, Idrīs said: “May God make me your ransom, what is the game of chance?” Abū ʿAbd Allāh replied: “It is chess.” I said: “But they say it is backgammon.” He said: “Backgammon too.”

I asked Abū Jaʿfar about the games people play, such as backgammon and chess, and continued until I mentioned sadr. He said: “When God distinguishes truth from falsehood, which side will it be on?” I replied: “Falsehood.” He said: “Then why have anything to do with falsehood?”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “In Ramadan, God forgives everyone except three: one who drinks intoxicants, one who plays shāhīn, or one who bears enmity toward another.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “Chess is a game of chance, and backgammon is a game of chance.”

A man from Basra went in to see Abū al-Ḥasan al-Awwal, peace be upon him, and said: “May I be your ransom, I sit with people who play chess. I do not play, but I watch.” He said: “Why sit in a gathering whose people God does not look upon?”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh was asked about chess. He said: “Leave the Zoroastrian game to its people. May God curse it.”

Al-Riḍā, peace be upon him, said: “A man came to my father, Abū Jaʿfar, and said: ‘Abū Jaʿfar, what do you say about the chess people play?’ He replied: ‘My father, ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn, told me, from al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī, from the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever speaks, but speaks of something other than the remembrance of God, Mighty and Majestic, speaks idly; and whoever is silent, but is silent for something other than the remembrance of God, is heedless.”’ Then he fell silent. The man stood up and left.”

Ibn Riʾāb said: “I went in to see Abū ʿAbd Allāh and said: ‘May I be your ransom, what do you say about chess?’ He replied: ‘The one who moves its pieces is like one who handles pig’s flesh.’ I asked: ‘What must someone do if he handles pig’s flesh?’ He said: ‘Wash his hand.’”

Abū al-Ḥasan al-Riḍā, peace be upon him, said: “One who watches a game of chess is like one who looks into the Fire.”

Abū ʿAbd Allāh said: “The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, forbade playing chess and backgammon.”

Al-Kāfī (Islamic edition), vol. 6, pp. 435–436

There is no backbiting in the case of a wicked person, a wine-drinker, a chess player or a gambler.

Know that the testimony of a wine-drinker, a chess or backgammon player, a gambler or a person under suspicion is not admissible, and…

Whoever keeps a tanbur, a lute, or any musical instrument, chess or the like in his house for forty days has incurred God’s wrath. If he dies during those forty days, he dies a wicked and dissolute man; his abode is the Fire—an evil destination.

Know that God, Exalted is He, has forbidden all games of chance and commanded His servants to shun them. He called them defilement, saying, “It is defilement from Satan’s work, so shun it,” like chess, backgammon and other games of chance. Backgammon is worse than chess: keeping these games is disbelief in God, the Almighty; playing them is associating partners with Him; moving their pieces is a grave, ruinous sin; and greeting someone engrossed in them is disbelief. The one who moves their pieces is like one who looks at his mother’s private parts. A backgammon player is like one who eats pig’s flesh. Playing them without wagering is like putting one’s hand in blood and pig’s flesh. One who plays any of these games is like one who persists in unlawful sexual conduct. Beware of playing with rings, Fourteen, or any game of chance—even children’s games with walnuts, almonds and dice. And beware of striking the ball with a mallet: Satan runs alongside you, the angels flee from you, and if your mount stumbles and you die, you enter the Fire.

Know that God, Exalted is He, has forbidden all games of chance and commanded His servants to shun them. He called them defilement, saying, “It is defilement from Satan’s work, so shun it,” like chess, backgammon and other games of chance. Backgammon is worse than chess: keeping these games is disbelief in God, the Almighty; playing them is associating partners with Him; moving their pieces is a grave, ruinous sin; and greeting someone engrossed in them is disbelief. The one who moves their pieces is like one who looks at his mother’s private parts. A backgammon player is like one who eats pig’s flesh. Playing them without wagering is like putting one’s hand in blood and pig’s flesh. One who plays any of these games is like one who persists in unlawful sexual conduct. Beware of playing with rings, Fourteen, or any game of chance—even children’s games with walnuts, almonds and dice. And beware of striking the ball with a mallet: Satan runs alongside you, the angels flee from you, and if your mount stumbles and you die, you enter the Fire.

*Jurisprudence Attributed to Imam al-Riḍā, peace be upon him*

*The Sixteen Fundamental Texts* (Dār al-Ḥadīth edition)