Dice and Chess

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘Dice, chess and checkers are all the same. Whatever is used in gambling (speculating) is gambling.”’

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘...Stay away from wickedness, idols, and false words.’ (22:30) He (the Imam) said, “The idols’ is a reference to chess and ‘false words’ stands for al-Ghina’ (music (and singing)).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘Chess and dice are al- Maysir (gambling).”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Chess is of falsehood.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that every night in the month of Ramadan Allah sets free from fire certain people, except those who break their fast with intoxicating substances, a heretic in religion and Sahib of Shahayn (player of the game with two kings). I then asked, ‘What is Sahib of Shahayn ?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is chess.’”

“Once, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about chess and about a game of youths called ‘al-Amir game’ and the game called ‘ Thalathah’ . He (the Imam) said, ‘Consider if right and wrong are made distinct from each other, where do these things fall?’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I said that it falls in the wrong category.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It then is devoid of goodness.’”

“About the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘You must stay away from the filth of idols and you must stay away from false words,’ abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, “‘The filth of idols” is a reference to chess and “false words” stands for al-Ghina ’ (music (and singing)).”’

“Once, my brother Idris and I were with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and Idris said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep our souls in service for your cause, what is al-Maysir?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is chess.’ I then said that they say it is dice.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Dice also is al-Maysir (gambling).”’

“I once asked Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about these things with which people play, like dice, chess... until I mentioned al-Sudar (a certain game). He (the Imam) said, ‘If Allah makes right distinct from wrong, where will it fall?’ I said that it would fall in the wrong category. He (the Imam) said, ‘What then do you have to do with anything which is wrong?”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In the month of Ramadan Allah forgives certain people except a drunk person, a chess playing person and a heretic.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Chess is al-Maysir (gambling) and dice is al-Maysir (gambling).”’

“Once a man from the people of al-Basrah came to abu al-Hassan, al-Awwal (a.s.), and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I sit with people who play chess but I do not play. I only look at it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What do you have to do with a gathering to which Allah does not look?”’

“Once Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about chess. He (the Imam) said, 'You must leave al-Majusiyya (the Zoroastrian thing) for its people, may Allah condemn it.'"

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, that once a man came to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and said, ‘O Abu Ja‘far, what do you say about chess with which people play?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘My father Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to me from al-Husayn ibn Ali from ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.). He (the Imam) has said that the Messenger of Allah (a.s.) has said, “If one speaks and his speech is something other than speaking of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, he is doing something useless. If one is silent and his silence is for something other than Allah he is forgetful.’” He (the Imam) then remained calm and the man left.’”

“I once visited abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about chess?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘One who turns it from side to side is like one who turns pork from side to side.’ I then asked, ‘What must one who has turned pork from side to side do?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He must wash his hands.’”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘One who seeks cognizance with chess is like one seeking cognizance with the fire.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, prohibited playing with chess and dice.’”