Ruling on Watching Sports Matches
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His Eminence the Shaykh: Is it permissible to watch the match on television?
Watching the match on television, I ask you, what is the benefit of it?The questioner himself: I disagreed with a person over this issue, so I said to him: First, it is a waste of time, and second, it exposes their private parts, for they do not cover anything but half of their thighs.So he said: No.
Rather, it is permissible.I said: I ask for you, Ibn Uthaymeen.
Answer: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent”. And since we are forbidden from speaking unless it is good, the act is even more so. Therefore, watching the match in reality has dangers.Among them: It is a waste of time; for the one afflicted with this finds himself engrossed in it until much time is wasted, and perhaps he misses the prayer in congregation, or perhaps he misses the prayer at its proper time.
Second: He looks at people who have exposed half of their thighs, and the thigh is a private part according to many scholars. And we see that it is not permissible for a young man to expose any part of his thigh, especially if it is significantly above the knee.
Third: It may lead to him holding in high regard one who is preferred over others, even though he is among the most sinful of Allah’s servants or among the most disbelieving of Allah’s servants. Thus, he holds in high regard one who does not deserve to be held in high regard, and this is undoubtedly a danger.
Fourth: It results in the waste of money; for this device runs on electrical power and consumes it, and although the consumption is slight, as long as there is no benefit in it, neither in religion nor in this world, it is considered a waste of money.
Fifth: It may lead to conflict and dispute. If he supports this club or this team and they lose, and there is another who supports the other club or the other team, a conflict arises between them, along with prolonged argumentation.
For this reason, I say: Advice to the youth, especially, and to others in general: do not waste your time watching this match.And let them think carefully: What is the result of watching it? What is the benefit? And in some matches, you find them, for example, running and then colliding with one another, and perhaps one of them rides on the shoulder of the other, and similar actions that are contrary to dignity.
Watching the match on television, I ask you, what is the benefit of it?The questioner himself: I disagreed with a person over this issue, so I said to him: First, it is a waste of time, and second, it exposes their private parts, for they do not cover anything but half of their thighs.So he said: No.
Rather, it is permissible.I said: I ask for you, Ibn Uthaymeen.
Answer: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent”. And since we are forbidden from speaking unless it is good, the act is even more so. Therefore, watching the match in reality has dangers.Among them: It is a waste of time; for the one afflicted with this finds himself engrossed in it until much time is wasted, and perhaps he misses the prayer in congregation, or perhaps he misses the prayer at its proper time.
Second: He looks at people who have exposed half of their thighs, and the thigh is a private part according to many scholars. And we see that it is not permissible for a young man to expose any part of his thigh, especially if it is significantly above the knee.
Third: It may lead to him holding in high regard one who is preferred over others, even though he is among the most sinful of Allah’s servants or among the most disbelieving of Allah’s servants. Thus, he holds in high regard one who does not deserve to be held in high regard, and this is undoubtedly a danger.
Fourth: It results in the waste of money; for this device runs on electrical power and consumes it, and although the consumption is slight, as long as there is no benefit in it, neither in religion nor in this world, it is considered a waste of money.
Fifth: It may lead to conflict and dispute. If he supports this club or this team and they lose, and there is another who supports the other club or the other team, a conflict arises between them, along with prolonged argumentation.
For this reason, I say: Advice to the youth, especially, and to others in general: do not waste your time watching this match.And let them think carefully: What is the result of watching it? What is the benefit? And in some matches, you find them, for example, running and then colliding with one another, and perhaps one of them rides on the shoulder of the other, and similar actions that are contrary to dignity.