#127: Ruling of Selling Games

Thu 1 Dhul Hijjah 1443AH

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.*CLARIFICATION: ON THE DAILY POST ON THE MUNKARĀT OF THE MARKET PLACES*

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، الحمد لله رب العالمين، والصلاة والسلام على المبعوث رحمة للعالمين

Assalāmu alaykum Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh

Alhamdulillāh, after we had posted the DailyPost four days ago on *the munkarāt of the market places*, a questioner asked thus:

_” Sallamu alaikum ya Admin please explain the issue of selling games”_

*RESPONSE*

The exact passage in the book reads:

((ومنها : الشروط الفاسدة، واستعمال الربا، وبيع الملاهى ، والصور المجسمة، ونحو ذلك))

_”And of it, are False conditions, the use of Ar-Ribā, selling of Al-Malāhī, Sculptures, and its likes…”_

The Word _’Al-Malāhī’_ generally means Entertainment to include games, music, amusements of different kinds, etc. As it derives from the mother word _’Al-Lahw’_. Except that in popular usage at the time of Imām Ibn Qudāmah Al-Maqdisī – rahimahullāh – it was used basically for Music and Harām Games. Most often, it was used as Musical Instruments.

And today, the Ulamā use it more to imply music.

Therefore, the meaning and interpretation becomes apparent.

That it was translated as ‘Games’ in the DailyPost can be accommodated within the confines of the dictionary to mean Harām form of games. But what is intended is Music and its instruments basically.

Bārakallāhu fīkum
Jazākumullāhu Khayran.

30th Safar 1438.