Saudi mufti issues fatwa against chess: ‘a waste of time and encourages gambling’

Maybe he’s just a poor player and a sore loser…

Daily Mail (UK) has the story:

• Grand mufti Abdul Aziz bin-Abdullah issues rules chess is banned in Islam
• He said game was ’causes hatred and was opportunity to squander money’
• Saudi Chess Association says tournament will go ahead Friday as planned 

Saudi Arabia’s top religious cleric has ruled that chess is forbidden for Muslims because it is a ‘waste of time’ and promotes gambling.

Grand mufti Abdul Aziz bin-Abdullah issued the fatwa ahead of a major chess tournament in Mecca tomorrow.

He said the game was ‘an opportunity to squander money’ and fell under the category of gambling which is banned in the Qu’ran.

He added: ‘The game of chess is a waste of time… it causes enmity and hatred between people.’

Abdullah made the declaration while answering questions from viewers on his weekly show With His Eminence The Mufti, it was reported by The Middle East Eye.

Muslims often follow personal religious guidance given by senior clerics, but their declarations are not legally binding.

Musa Bin Thaily, president of the law committee at the Saudi Chess Association, said a tournament would go ahead as planned tomorrow despite the fatwa, which he said was issued last month.

He said on Twitter: ‘Many things are said to be illegal and religiously banned in #Saudi.

‘For example, the religious society view, bans the public musical festivals, but they’re everywhere, the view isn’t enforced by the law.’

He added that the Grand Mufti ‘being an old man in his 80s’ was unaware that players do not usually bet on the outcome of games.

Continue reading…

Also see:

• Guardian (UK): Chess forbidden in Islam, rules Saudi mufti, but issue not black and white

Tagged as: chess