Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Mohammad forbid Muslims to play Chess

Chapter 2: IT IS PROHIBITED TO PLAY CHESS
Sahih Muslim
Book 028, Number 5612:
Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.

Did Mohammad prohibit this game because it involved thinking?

Could this be the reason why Muslims have a major problem thinking one move ahead, let alone 2 or more? Why dont Muslim countries generate wealth besides the exploitation of natural resources, (coincidentally, performed by engineers from Non-muslim countries)?

For example, if we contrast Hindu India with its immediate neighbour Muslim Pakistan, for example, we see how one celebrates different religions and parliamentary representation while the other has been ruled by dictators and persecutes religious minorities. Both countries were left by the British empire with equal economic potential, but while India is about to become an economic super power, Pakistan is in decay.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

i am sorry if my english is not good for english is not my mother tongue.

in response to the issue that you raise here, i think it is not suitable to interpret any hadith or quranic verses without looking into the context of both divine sources of islamic rules. It is important that one study them from linguistic (Arabic) and the reasons (why Muhammad said that). For further explanation on the prohibition of this hadith please refer to
http://www.inter-islam.org/Prohibitions/Chess.html

In Islam, there are exceptions to what are declared to be 'haraam' (prohibited). For example, eating small part of pork or any food that is prohibited to be eaten is excused if there is no food to be found, and if they don't eat it, they will die. While, playing chess will only be haraam if playing chess delays the player from performing the salaat (pray) and if it involves betting or gambling.

it saddens us muslims that people interpret most hadiths and quranic verses the way they like and not in the way what they really means.

hhashmo said...

Does it sadden Muslims when they kill Indians because they are not Muslim?

Does it sadden Muslims when Sudanese kill polytheists in the name of religion?

Does it sadden Muslims when the Taliban destroyed the statues of Buddha in Afghanistan? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamyan

Unfortunately, I dont buy this scholar's reinterpretation.

For example - Hadith interpretation - Be honest with yourself. Read the hadiths in Arabic, and translate them accordingly to you. DO NOT LIE TO YOURSELF - Any religion worth lying about is not a religion worth believing in.

For example:

Volume 7, Book 70, Number 548:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials."

Some Arabic translations state the believer is (Musaab), meaning being tested with affliction.
The current revised version reads as follows: The believer is (Musaan), meaning being protected and guarded.

This new version is clearly bastardized, as the next hadith by number clearly states:

Volume 7, Book 70, Number 549:

Narrated Aisha:

I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah's Apostle

As such, it is plain that Mohammad was suffering, and in his way, wanted to show his followers that Allah shows his followers mercy by afflicting them with disease. This is totally contrary to the new translation "Musan" which states, as discussed above, "being protected and guarded.'

Ask yourself this, are Muslims saddenned when hadiths do not use the original Arabic, do not properly translate into another language, or blatantly lie?

Unknown said...

regarding Chess see this:

http://www.abc.se/~m9783/fiqhi/fiqha_e54.html

As far as killing innocents (muslim non-muslims alike) is concerned yes muslims get saddened

regarding fever:

A fever is one of the body's immune responses that attempt to neutralize a bacterial or viral infection.

havent you heard no pain no gain

Anonymous said...

To an answer for all of your comments,

First, we Muslims we are not fond of killing people. Those who do it are against, so don't judge Islam by considering what a minority is doing. The majority of Muslims are against the killing of innocent people even if they are non muslim. In some countries, event Islamic Laws have been passes banning killing of innocent people.

Secondly, do u know why Islam has prohibited chess, I will tell u. I'm an AI Student at University, so I will present with evidences not just opinions.

First without any scientific evidence, 1400 years ago, Quran mentioned such facts that only at 19 and 20 century could be proved. I'm a scientist but science has still lot to go, I'm not against science. Islam in itself is a science and Man made science is simply a subset of it. Today, we know the existence of Ozone layer,orbit but these are some of the countless evidences mentioned in the quran, if u want them, mail me at thejamesjacob@yahoo.com, I will give u references from the quran

Now come back with chess, in AI, chess is a yardstick everywhere. Do u know how many states are there in chess??? 10^43 (10 to the power of 43).

I'm sure an educated person would soon know that thinking too much causes lots of problem even mental problems. Yes, I admit, some people can do so because their brain are not link other people. If u don't believe, try searching the reason Albert Einstein brain was removed after his death and out find out about the results from the research.

Not all people are genius, when these people play chess, thinking a lot is required. So mental problems!!

Also, in Islam, we do not loose time in unnecessary things, so chess is a time consuming game, so we don't want to loose time and we don't play chess, that's it

Also, someone said Muslim are exploiting natural nature. Have u ever asked yourself, why only muslims have petrol, it is simply gift from Almighty Allah. Arabia itself can take the responsibility of the earth's petrol need. Do u known why, because there the holy prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) came.

Of course, even some other countries have petrol but very little.