Is the ruling on playing ball and singing anthems that they may be among the prohibited means?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Likewise, O Shaykh, are ball games and anthems in the same category?
The Shaykh : In my opinion, playing ball as a means to strengthen the body, while observing the Islamic rulings regarding it, I see no harm in it as a means to strengthen the body. However, experience has proven over the years up to the present day that the matches held today between Muslim teams, let alone the matches held between a Muslim team and a disbeliever team, do not observe the Islamic rulings in all of this. For example, they impose a specific uniform. The matter also compels me to enter into some detail as a warning and caution, or at least a reminder:
There is no difference between the clothes of the Muslim team and the clothes of the disbeliever team in terms of their shortness and in that they expose the awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), such as the thighs or otherwise. It should be that if we permit the Muslim to practice this game, he should have his Muslim identity, not only in his Islamic lands but also in the lands of disbelief, if the interest of the Muslims requires a Muslim team to move there to compete with a disbeliever team.
For example, this is a violation of the Shari'ah: exposing the thigh, which is awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) and is therefore forbidden. And from that, and more precise: that this team does not agree with the decision of the sports committee, which may be composed of Muslim and disbeliever members. They should not agree to schedule the ball game at a time when the prayer is due while they are playing. Such a condition should be required for the permissibility of playing ball. What leads to what is forbidden is itself forbidden, even if its origin is permissible. Yes.
The questioner : All right, O Shaykh, it is now adopted as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam).
The Shaykh : That is the answer. Are these paths adopted as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam)? Did this game first adhere to these conditions and then was adopted as a means of da'wah? The answer to this has been discussed previously, meaning: practically, it is not permissible to adopt it as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam). Yes.
The Shaykh : In my opinion, playing ball as a means to strengthen the body, while observing the Islamic rulings regarding it, I see no harm in it as a means to strengthen the body. However, experience has proven over the years up to the present day that the matches held today between Muslim teams, let alone the matches held between a Muslim team and a disbeliever team, do not observe the Islamic rulings in all of this. For example, they impose a specific uniform. The matter also compels me to enter into some detail as a warning and caution, or at least a reminder:
There is no difference between the clothes of the Muslim team and the clothes of the disbeliever team in terms of their shortness and in that they expose the awrah (the part of the body that must be covered), such as the thighs or otherwise. It should be that if we permit the Muslim to practice this game, he should have his Muslim identity, not only in his Islamic lands but also in the lands of disbelief, if the interest of the Muslims requires a Muslim team to move there to compete with a disbeliever team.
For example, this is a violation of the Shari'ah: exposing the thigh, which is awrah (the part of the body that must be covered) and is therefore forbidden. And from that, and more precise: that this team does not agree with the decision of the sports committee, which may be composed of Muslim and disbeliever members. They should not agree to schedule the ball game at a time when the prayer is due while they are playing. Such a condition should be required for the permissibility of playing ball. What leads to what is forbidden is itself forbidden, even if its origin is permissible. Yes.
The questioner : All right, O Shaykh, it is now adopted as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam).
The Shaykh : That is the answer. Are these paths adopted as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam)? Did this game first adhere to these conditions and then was adopted as a means of da'wah? The answer to this has been discussed previously, meaning: practically, it is not permissible to adopt it as a means of da'wah (calling others to Islam). Yes.