The Ruling on Boxing, Bullfighting, and Freestyle Wrestling
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Q: A questioner from Egypt asks about: The ruling in Islam regarding boxing, bullfighting, and freestyle wrestling?
A: Boxing and bullfighting are among the forbidden abominations because of the many harms and great danger in boxing, and because of the torture of the animal without right in bullfighting. As for freestyle wrestling that involves no danger, no harm, and no exposure of the private parts, there is no harm in it; due to the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrestling with Yazid ibn Rukanah, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) threw him to the ground; and because the original ruling in such matters is permissibility, except for what the pure Shari'ah has forbidden. A decision was issued by the Islamic Fiqh Academy affiliated with the Muslim World League prohibiting boxing and bullfighting for the reasons we mentioned earlier, and this is its text: The Third Decision
Regarding the subject of (Boxing, Freestyle Wrestling, and Bullfighting)
Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet, our master and our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and his companions). As for what follows:
The Council of the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Muslim World League, in its tenth session held in Makkah al-Mukarramah from Saturday, 24 Safar 1408 AH, corresponding to October 17, 1987 CE, to Wednesday, 28 Safar 1408 AH, corresponding to October 21, 1987 CE, considered the subject of boxing and freestyle wrestling in terms of their being considered permissible physical sports, as well as the customary bullfighting in some foreign countries, whether it is permissible in the ruling of Islam or not.
After deliberation on this matter from all its aspects and the results that these types, which are attributed to sports, have led to, and which are now broadcast on television programs in Muslim countries and elsewhere. And after reviewing the studies submitted on this matter by specialized doctors, commissioned by the Academy Council in its previous session, and after reviewing the statistics submitted by some of them regarding what actually happened in the world as a result of practicing boxing and what is seen on television of some of the tragedies of freestyle wrestling, the Academy Council decided the following:
First: Boxing:
The Academy Council unanimously holds that the aforementioned boxing, which is actually practiced in sports arenas and competitions in our countries today, is a forbidden practice in Islamic Shari'ah; because it is based on the principle of permitting each of the two competitors to harm the other with severe bodily injury that may lead to blindness, or acute or chronic brain damage, or severe fractures, or death, without liability on the part of the striker, while the audience cheering for the winner rejoices in the harm that befalls the other. This is an act that is forbidden and completely rejected in the ruling of Islam, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Baqarah:195] and His saying: [al-Nisa:29] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Ibn Majah 2340Da'if (Darussalam).
Accordingly, the jurists of the Shari'ah have stated that if one permits his blood to another and says to him: "Kill me," it is not permissible for him to kill him, and if he does so, he is liable and deserving of punishment.
Based on this, the Academy decides that this boxing should not be called a physical sport, and its practice is not permissible, because the concept of sport is based on training without harm or injury. It must be removed from local sports programs and from participation in international competitions. The Council also decides that it is not permissible to broadcast it on television programs so that the youth do not learn this bad act and try to imitate it.
Second: Freestyle Wrestling:
As for freestyle wrestling in which each of the wrestlers permits himself to harm and damage the other, the Council considers it an act completely similar to the aforementioned boxing, even if the form differs, because all the religious prohibitions mentioned in boxing are present in freestyle wrestling, which is conducted in the manner of a duel and takes its ruling of prohibition.
As for other types of wrestling practiced purely for physical sport in which harm is not permitted, they are religiously permissible, and the Council sees no obstacle to them.
Third: Bullfighting:
As for the customary bullfighting in some countries of the world, which leads to the killing of the bull through the skillful use of weapons by the trained man, it is also religiously forbidden in the ruling of Islam, because it leads to the torture and killing of the animal by what is inserted into its body of spears, and this wrestling often leads to the bull killing its fighter. This wrestling is a barbaric act that Islamic Shari'ah rejects, whose chosen Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:Sahih Muslim 2242a.
If this confinement of the cat necessitates entering the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, what about the state of one who tortures the bull with weapons until death?
Fourth: Pitting Animals Against Each Other:
The Academy also decides the prohibition of what occurs in some countries of pitting animals against each other, such as camels, rams, roosters, and others, until they kill or harm one another.
And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad and his family and his companions, abundant peace, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
His Excellency Dr. Najm Abdullah Abdulwahid, from Kuwait, attended the discussion of this subject.
[Signature] (Chairman of the Academy Council) Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
[Signature] (Vice Chairman) Dr. Abdullah Umar Nasif
[Signature] Muhammad ibn Jubayr [Signature] Saleh ibn Fawzan ibn Abdullah al-Fawzan
[Signature] Muhammad Mahmoud al-Sawwaf [Signature] Muhammad al-Shadhili al-Nifir
[Signature] Muhammad al-Habib ibn al-Khujja [Signature] Dr. Bakr Abdullah Abu Zayd
[Signature] Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Sabayil [Signature] Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Hasani al-Nadwi
[Signature] Abu Bakr Jomay [Signature] Muhammad Salim ibn Abdul-Wadud
[Signature] (Chairman of the Academy Council) Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
[Signature] Abdullah al-Abd al-Rahman al-Basam [Signature] Mustafa Ahmad al-Zarqa
[Signature] Muhammad Rashid Ra'ib Qabani [Signature] Dr. Ahmad Fahmi Abu Sanna
[Signature] Dr. Talal Umar Bafaqih (Secretary of the Islamic Fiqh Academy Council)
The following were absent from this session: His Eminence Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, His Eminence Shaykh Saleh ibn Uthaymeen, His Eminence Shaykh Abdul-Qadus al-Hashimi, His Excellency Major General Rukn Mahmoud Shit Khatab, His Eminence Shaykh Hasanayn Muhammad Makhluf, and His Eminence Shaykh Mubarak Mas'ud al-Awadi.
A: Boxing and bullfighting are among the forbidden abominations because of the many harms and great danger in boxing, and because of the torture of the animal without right in bullfighting. As for freestyle wrestling that involves no danger, no harm, and no exposure of the private parts, there is no harm in it; due to the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrestling with Yazid ibn Rukanah, where he (peace and blessings be upon him) threw him to the ground; and because the original ruling in such matters is permissibility, except for what the pure Shari'ah has forbidden. A decision was issued by the Islamic Fiqh Academy affiliated with the Muslim World League prohibiting boxing and bullfighting for the reasons we mentioned earlier, and this is its text: The Third Decision
Regarding the subject of (Boxing, Freestyle Wrestling, and Bullfighting)
Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon the one after whom there is no prophet, our master and our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family and his companions). As for what follows:
The Council of the Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Muslim World League, in its tenth session held in Makkah al-Mukarramah from Saturday, 24 Safar 1408 AH, corresponding to October 17, 1987 CE, to Wednesday, 28 Safar 1408 AH, corresponding to October 21, 1987 CE, considered the subject of boxing and freestyle wrestling in terms of their being considered permissible physical sports, as well as the customary bullfighting in some foreign countries, whether it is permissible in the ruling of Islam or not.
After deliberation on this matter from all its aspects and the results that these types, which are attributed to sports, have led to, and which are now broadcast on television programs in Muslim countries and elsewhere. And after reviewing the studies submitted on this matter by specialized doctors, commissioned by the Academy Council in its previous session, and after reviewing the statistics submitted by some of them regarding what actually happened in the world as a result of practicing boxing and what is seen on television of some of the tragedies of freestyle wrestling, the Academy Council decided the following:
First: Boxing:
The Academy Council unanimously holds that the aforementioned boxing, which is actually practiced in sports arenas and competitions in our countries today, is a forbidden practice in Islamic Shari'ah; because it is based on the principle of permitting each of the two competitors to harm the other with severe bodily injury that may lead to blindness, or acute or chronic brain damage, or severe fractures, or death, without liability on the part of the striker, while the audience cheering for the winner rejoices in the harm that befalls the other. This is an act that is forbidden and completely rejected in the ruling of Islam, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]
وَلا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِAnd do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.
وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًاIt was narrated from 'Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ruled: “There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
لا ضرر ولا ضرارAccordingly, the jurists of the Shari'ah have stated that if one permits his blood to another and says to him: "Kill me," it is not permissible for him to kill him, and if he does so, he is liable and deserving of punishment.
Based on this, the Academy decides that this boxing should not be called a physical sport, and its practice is not permissible, because the concept of sport is based on training without harm or injury. It must be removed from local sports programs and from participation in international competitions. The Council also decides that it is not permissible to broadcast it on television programs so that the youth do not learn this bad act and try to imitate it.
Second: Freestyle Wrestling:
As for freestyle wrestling in which each of the wrestlers permits himself to harm and damage the other, the Council considers it an act completely similar to the aforementioned boxing, even if the form differs, because all the religious prohibitions mentioned in boxing are present in freestyle wrestling, which is conducted in the manner of a duel and takes its ruling of prohibition.
As for other types of wrestling practiced purely for physical sport in which harm is not permitted, they are religiously permissible, and the Council sees no obstacle to them.
Third: Bullfighting:
As for the customary bullfighting in some countries of the world, which leads to the killing of the bull through the skillful use of weapons by the trained man, it is also religiously forbidden in the ruling of Islam, because it leads to the torture and killing of the animal by what is inserted into its body of spears, and this wrestling often leads to the bull killing its fighter. This wrestling is a barbaric act that Islamic Shari'ah rejects, whose chosen Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the authentic hadith:
A woman was punished because she had kept a cat tied until it died, and (as a punishment of this offence) she was thrown into the Hell. She had not provided it with food, or drink, and had not freed her so that she could eat the vermin of the earth.
دخلت امرأة النار في هرة حبستها، فلا هي أطعمتها وسقتها إذ حبستها، ولا هي تركتها تأكل من خشاش الأرضIf this confinement of the cat necessitates entering the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, what about the state of one who tortures the bull with weapons until death?
Fourth: Pitting Animals Against Each Other:
The Academy also decides the prohibition of what occurs in some countries of pitting animals against each other, such as camels, rams, roosters, and others, until they kill or harm one another.
And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad and his family and his companions, abundant peace, and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
His Excellency Dr. Najm Abdullah Abdulwahid, from Kuwait, attended the discussion of this subject.
[Signature] (Chairman of the Academy Council) Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
[Signature] (Vice Chairman) Dr. Abdullah Umar Nasif
[Signature] Muhammad ibn Jubayr [Signature] Saleh ibn Fawzan ibn Abdullah al-Fawzan
[Signature] Muhammad Mahmoud al-Sawwaf [Signature] Muhammad al-Shadhili al-Nifir
[Signature] Muhammad al-Habib ibn al-Khujja [Signature] Dr. Bakr Abdullah Abu Zayd
[Signature] Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Sabayil [Signature] Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Hasani al-Nadwi
[Signature] Abu Bakr Jomay [Signature] Muhammad Salim ibn Abdul-Wadud
[Signature] (Chairman of the Academy Council) Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
[Signature] Abdullah al-Abd al-Rahman al-Basam [Signature] Mustafa Ahmad al-Zarqa
[Signature] Muhammad Rashid Ra'ib Qabani [Signature] Dr. Ahmad Fahmi Abu Sanna
[Signature] Dr. Talal Umar Bafaqih (Secretary of the Islamic Fiqh Academy Council)
The following were absent from this session: His Eminence Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, His Eminence Shaykh Saleh ibn Uthaymeen, His Eminence Shaykh Abdul-Qadus al-Hashimi, His Excellency Major General Rukn Mahmoud Shit Khatab, His Eminence Shaykh Hasanayn Muhammad Makhluf, and His Eminence Shaykh Mubarak Mas'ud al-Awadi.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.