The Ruling on Taking a Prize in Competitions

The questioner:
Regarding racing in permissible matters, Shaykh, does the permissibility of taking a prize in horse and camel racing remain now, even though they are no longer instruments of war?

The Shaykh:
The original status of these is that they are instruments of war, and horses will return to jihad in the end times, as the evidence indicates. So they are among the tools of war, and they are for riding—whether on horses, tanks, or any riding for the sake of war—it falls under this. Yes.

The questioner:
And the cars that are raced now, which are not instruments of war nor close to them, do they fall under this?

The Shaykh:
Only in permissible matters, and it is not permissible to take a prize. Racing on cars is permissible, but it is not permissible to take a prize for it; this would be gambling. Racing on cars is permissible, but without a prize. If a prize is taken for it, it becomes gambling because there is no benefit in it that returns to the religion; rather, it is a benefit that returns only to skill—displaying skill and displaying physical strength. This is among the permissible matters, but no prize is taken for it because it is not among what aids in the religion and jihad. Yes.

The questioner:
So can we say that Islam looks at this matter through the lens that it is a means of consuming people's wealth, so it made what is beneficial for the community and jihad permissible?

The Shaykh:
Yes.

The questioner:
And as for what is less than that, the benefit was permitted and the harm was removed, so it was permitted for people to race in it, but the prize was forbidden in it.

The Shaykh:
And the forbidden things that accompany it were forbidden, such as exposing the private parts or wasting time—wasting time and missing the time of prayer or missing the congregational prayer. So if a forbidden thing necessarily results from this permissible matter, it becomes forbidden. Yes.