Islam forbids gambling in all ways and forms. The very idea of taking someone else’s money as a result of winning a game of chance is abhorrent to Islam. God describes maysir, which we often translate as “games of chance” or gambling, as “abomination devised by Satan” which all Muslims should avoid at all costs. There are many Hadiths that speak of different games often used for gambling, showing that they are all forbidden to play. One such game is backgammon, an old Persian game using dice to move pieces across its board. The movement is determined by the throw of dice, which makes the whole game dependent on an unknown. Thus, it is a game of chance, and it is forbidden to play.
It is reported on the authority of Abu Musa Al-Ashari that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever plays backgammon disobeys God and His Messenger.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Ibn Majah and others). This Hadith is very clear in its import. It describes playing backgammon as an act of disobedience of God and His Messenger. Needless to say, when something is described as constituting disobedience to God or the Prophet then it is forbidden.
Another Hadith quotes Abdullah ibn Masoud as saying: “Refrain from these two marked cubes that are associated with omen, for they are a form of gambling.” (Related by Ahmad and Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad). This is a clear reference to backgammon which relies on two cubic dice with a number given to every side of each dice. It is not the dice itself that is a form of gambling, but the purpose for which it is used in a game. Since the throw of a dice is unpredictable, the whole game becomes a game of chance and such games are gambling. Hence, they are forbidden.
There are other Hadiths that speak in the same vein about backgammon, with some of them giving a graphic description of its prohibition. Buraydah quotes the Prophet as saying: “Whoever plays backgammon is like one who paints his hand with a pig’s flesh and blood.” (Related by Muslim, Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Abu Dawood, Malik and Ibn Majah). A more detailed description is given by Abu Hurayrah: “Whoever plays backgammon in a game of gambling is like one who eats pig meat, and the one who plays it without gambling is like one who dips his hand in a pig’s blood, and the one who sits there watching a game is like one looking at pig meat.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad). Abdullah ibn Amr gives a similar description: “The one who plays the two cubes in gambling is like one eating pig meat, and the one who plays them without gambling is like one dipping his hand in pig’s blood.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad). The fact that two of the Prophet’s companions who are among the top narrators of Hadiths give the same description makes it clear that this description quotes the Prophet himself.
The Prophet’s companions understood this prohibition and were keen to enforce it whatever the circumstances. Aishah had some tenants living in a home she owned. She was told that the tenants had a backgammon. She sent a message to them: “You either throw it away or else I will evict you from my home.” She denounced their action of keeping it at home. (This Hadith is related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).
Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr, a companion of the Prophet who ruled Hijaz and Iraq for several years, once addressed the people of Makkah saying: “I have heard that some men from the Quraysh play a game called backgammon. God says “Believers! Intoxicants, games of chance, idolatrous practices and divining arrows are abominations devised by Satan. Therefore, turn away from them so that you may be successful.” (5: 90) I swear that anyone who is brought to me for having played it will be punished physically in his hair and body, and I will give his belongings to the person who brings him to me.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad).
All these Hadiths and reports confirm the strict prohibition of backgammon as an example of games of chance that are associated with gambling. Some of us may wonder about the reason for such strict prohibition that extends even to playing games without betting on the result. The answer is that such games of chance, like backgammon, always tempt to add a little bet “to make the game more exciting.” They also have the same characteristics of gambling in making a person hooked on them, wasting too much time playing them.
When gambling is involved, it means that the winner takes the money of the loser without having earned it. Islam teaches us to follow the proper practice in earning money through our work and effort, not relying on chance. Moreover, property has its own sanctity.
It cannot be taken by another person except in exchange for something else, i.e. goods for money, or as a gift or charity. To take it through gambling is to take it forcibly, without any returns.
It is not surprising that those who gamble often harbor grudges against each other, even though they put up appearances of friendship and acceptance. This is due to the fact that they are always divided into winners and losers.
If the loser does not speak out against the winner, it is because he cannot do anything about his loss. Moreover, failure in one game prompts the loser to seek another game in order to have a chance to regain his lost money. The winner also wants another game, feeling that if his luck holds he stands a chance to double his winnings. If the roles are changed, each would experience moments of success and failure. They want to play more and more. This leads to compulsive gambling, which is a serious condition. The gambler ends up gambling away everything he has, including his family, honor and integrity.
