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AL-QIMAAR (GAMBLING) -
PART 1
Al-Qimaar
means to bet, to gamble,
whereby one wins the money or thing put on stake while others lose. It
is to play for winning more money and taking a risk through speculation,
with a desire to get something for very little or nothing.
This is Haraam (unlawful) and
considered as a major sin in Islam.
“They ask you about intoxicants and games of chances. Say: in both of
them there is a great sin …”
(2:219
Qur’an)
“O’ you who believe! Intoxicants and games
of chance and divining by arrows are only an uncleanness, the Shaitan’s
work; shun it therefore that you may be successful.”
(5:90
Qur’an)
Imam Ali ibn Musa ar-Ridha (as) had said:
“Abstain from all games of chance
(gambling) even those played by children with nuts and pieces of bones
.”
In Khisaale Sadooq, it is reported from
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (as):
“Do not salute (wish well) drunkards and
gamblers.”
MAYSIR AND AZLAAM
In Chapter 5, Verse no.90 of the Holy
Qur’an (quoted above)
the words Maysir and
Azlaam have been mentioned.
Maysir
is derived from yusr in arabic
meaning ‘ease’. Since a gambler does not perform any laborious work and
is able to easily grab the money belonging to others, gambling is also
called Maysir. This includes all types of gambling.
Azlaam
which has been translated to read “diving
by arrows”is also a game of chance played with dice. This has been
specifically mentioned because it was popular before the advent of
Islam.
Shaheedul-Mihrab, Ayatullah Abdulhussein
Dasti Ghayb (r.a) explaining
Azlaam
in his book
‘Gunahan-e-kabeera’ writes as follows:
“There used to be special
pieces of wood which were used in gambling. Azlaam is also known
as Aqlaam. The gamblers used to purchase a camel and divide the
meat of the slaughtered camel into twenty-eight parts. Ten pieces of
arrow shaped wood were kept at the venue of gambling. Each piece had a
specific name. The names of seven of those pieces were: faz, tawaam,
raqeeb, halas, nafis, masbal and mualla. Specific portion of
meat was allotted to each of the arrows. For example faz was
equal to one portion and mualla had seven portions. The meat had
been divided into twenty-eight pieces was distributed only to these ten
pieces of wood. Some of the arrows were such that no meat was allotted
to them and in fact those who got them had to reimburse the cost of
camel in full. The total of participants in this game was ten, and the
three unlucky ones were expelled. The three arrows were named manaj,
safih and raghad.
The Late Ayatullah then states that:
Azlaam
is a kind of
wager whereas Maysir includes all forms of gambling. Other
methods of Azlaam are also recorded but irrespective of the
method, all types of wagers are Haraam (unlawful in Islam). Wine,
gambling, idol worship and azlaam are all satanic works.
Involving oneself in these would deprive the person ofsalvation and
success in the hereafter.It is therefore commandednotto even go near
wine and gambling.
To be continued……………………….
References have been made from:
Gunahan-e-kabeera
of Ayatullah Abdulhussein Dasti Gahyb
Qimaar – Article by
Marhum Ahmed H Sheriff
Tafseer of S.V.Mir
Ahmed Ali
Readers are requested to remember the
above Marhumeen with recitation of Surah al-Fatiha
Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff
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