What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding playing cards at times other than prayer?
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The questioner : This young man says that they play cards at times other than prayer, and that this is during their free time. So, what is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding playing cards?
The Shaykh : Playing cards is very distracting, and for this reason, you find that those who play it spend a long time, and it seems to them as if only a tenth of the time that actually passed has gone by, due to how distracting it is. For this reason, some of our shaykhs have firmly decided on its prohibition. Among those who firmly decided on this is our Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), for he considered playing cards to be forbidden, whether it is for a stake or without a stake.
The Shaykh : Playing cards is very distracting, and for this reason, you find that those who play it spend a long time, and it seems to them as if only a tenth of the time that actually passed has gone by, due to how distracting it is. For this reason, some of our shaykhs have firmly decided on its prohibition. Among those who firmly decided on this is our Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him), for he considered playing cards to be forbidden, whether it is for a stake or without a stake.