Does Islam Forbid Chess? Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Says It Does
Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said on a television show that chess was immoral in Islam because it fell under a verse of the Qur’an prohibiting “intoxicants, gambling, idolatry and divination.” The religious leader’s statements came from impromptu answers and will not likely result in a formal ban. Still, fans of ancient chess history may wonder how a game that came to Europe through Muslim nations could become a target for religious attacks.
First of all, Islam, in general, is not at odds with chess, as the Saudi chess association was quick to point out on Twitter. In fact, the Grand Mufti’s remarks, which were made more than a year ago, resurfaced just as the country was preparing for a large tournament. According to the Guardian, most scholars of Islam say chess is a game of skill, distinct from gambling.
For Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, chess is sinful for more than just the gambling risks though. He said it was “a waste of time and money and a cause for hatred and enmity between players.” In Islam, where worshipers pray five times a day, chess playing could be seen as taking time away from God.
The Economist reports that there have been several attempts to denounce chess on Islamic grounds. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, chess was outlawed, but that ban was reversed in 1988 by Ayatollah Khomeini, who said it was permissible as long as it did not involve gambling.
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani forbid chess in Iraq. As his official website explained, the game is wrong in Islam even if no bets are placed – backgammon is also forbidden according to Sistani.
He told the BBC, “I don’t consider chess to be a threat to society.”
“It is not something that is so depraved as to corrupt morals. Even Ayatollah Khomeini came to the conclusion that he’d gone too far and repealed his own ban.”
Russian former world chess champion Garry Kasparov had far harsher words for both the comments and Saudi’s policies in general.
Saudi Arabia trying to ban chess is stupid, but we should be more concerned about their bans on human rights and democracy.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) January 21, 2016
The modern denouncements are even more surprising considering that Islam has had a longer history with the game than Europe. Chess arrived in Persia, possibly from India, in ancient times. After the country adopted Islam, the game spread throughout the rest of the Muslim world and came to Europe through the Moors, who invaded Spain.
The term “checkmate” is believed to come from the Persian words “shah-mata” meaning the “King is dead” or “helpless.” The old Persian term for chess “shatranj” appears in different forms in Spain and Turkey. The name for the Bishop piece is also a cultural adaptation limited to Western Europe – Russian speakers refer to it as an elephant.
Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia adheres to a strict form of Islam, and many Twitter users were supportive of Grand Mufti’s comments according to the AFP.
Saudi clerics and other hardliners issued fatwas against the Pokémon franchise in the early 2000s. Likewise, the country reinforces a ban on women driving, and maintains strict segregation between men and women.
The Grand Mufti’s comments will not likely result in a ban, although it could form the basis of making chess a minor vice, like music. Still, Islam has embraced chess for longer than other religions, even ones with actual Bishops.
[Photo by David Lapetina/Wikimedia Commons]
