Football/Soccer in Islam

by Shaykh Abdur Rahmaan Bin Naasir Al-Barraaki – Saudi Arabia 

Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem

What is football/soccer?

It is the mother of vices in the expenditure and consumption of Haraam. It is associating and dissociating for ghairil-Laah (besides Allah). It is enjoyment and anxiety in baatil. It is an idol of the ones who are its fans. For it, they love (people, teams etc.) and for it, they hate. For it, they befriend and for it, they become opponents (of people, supporters, teams etc.).

Let them be wretched, like how the slaves of dinars and dirhams (gold and silver) are wretched! They (the slaves of gold and silver) are such that if they gain some of it (gold and silver) they become happy, and if they are deprived of it they become enraged. This is the condition of the fanatics of soccer. Therefore, noble people do not participate in it. This is due to it being lagh (futile) and baatil (nonsense).

“When they (the noble servants of Allah) pass by lagh (futility), they pass by it with dignity.” (Qur’aan Majeed)

It should be known imperatively that its promotion and the promotion of its rules are from among the schemes of the Yahood against the Muslimeen; to prevent them (the Muslimeen) from the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala and from Salaah; to corrupt their Akhlaaq (morals); to waste their time; to draw them away from beneficial worldly activities, and to weaken the energies of their youth, as is eminent from their (the Zionists’) protocols.

Thus, it is Waajib upon the Uqala (the wise and intelligent) of this Ummah, particularly the Sulaha (pious) of this Ummah to condemn and to be averse to these local and international matches. They should raise their children to abhor it.

“They (the Successful Mu’mineen) turn away from futility.” (Qur’aan Majeed)

There is no doubt that the enemies of Islam from the kuffaar countries are gleeful over Muslim countries being at pains in their inordinate organization of sports, in encouraging material and non-material support for sports, in expending colossal amount of wealth in constructing huge stadiums and in displaying great vanity in the hosting and preparation of the World Cup. It is the height of foolishness when wealth is spent in la’ib (futile amusement and nonsense).

It is understood from the Deen of Islam that the expenditure of wealth in avenues which are of no benefit in Deen and dunya is squandering and wastage which are prohibited in the Qur’aan Majeed. Allah Ta’ala says:

“Do not waste. Verily, Allah dislikes the wasters.”

“Do not be extravagant. Verily, those who waste are the brothers of the Shayateen (devils). And Shaitaan was ungrateful to his Rabb.”

Wealth is for the establishment of Deeni and worldly necessities. Therefore, Allah Ta’ala says: “Do not give the incompetent ones any wealth which Allah has made you guardians of.” This is with regards to the one who spends.

Misappropriating wealth is utilizing wealth in a baatil way.

And Allah knows best

Abdur-Rahmaan bin Naasir Al-Barraak