What is the ruling on playing chess?
Short answer
The cited ruling states that playing chess is not permissible. If money or another stake is involved, the prohibition is even more serious because it becomes gambling.
Evidence and explanation
The source prohibits chess and mentions reasons such as distraction from the remembrance of Allah and prayer and wasting time; when a financial stake is involved, it also falls under gambling.
Scholar referenced
This editorial summary is based on the original source linked below and is not presented as a verbatim quotation from the scholar.
From the text of the answer (Arabic, with an English translation)
Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz
لعب الورق والشطرنج لا يجوز — فتوى ١٨٩٨٨- Question
«هل يجوز لعب الورق –البلوت–؟ وما حكم لعب الشطرنج، مع العلم أنهما لا يلهيان عن الصلاة؟»
English translation (unreviewed): Is it permissible to play cards (balot)? And what is the ruling on playing chess, knowing that they do not distract from prayer?
- From the text of the answer
«لا تجوز هاتان اللعبتان وما أشبههما؛ لكونهما من آلات اللهو، ولما فيهما من الصد عن ذكر الله وعن الصلاة، وإضاعة الأوقات في غير حق، ولما قد تفضي إليه من الشحناء والعداء، هذا إذا كانت هذه اللعبة ليس فيها عوض. أما إن كان فيها عوض مالي، فإن التحريم يكون أشد؛ لأنها بذلك تكون من أنواع القمار الذي لا شك في تحريمه، ولا خلاف فيه.»
English translation (unreviewed): These two games and the like are not permissible, because they are instruments of amusement, because of what they contain of turning away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer, wasting time on nothing worthwhile, and because of the hostility and enmity they may lead to. This is if the game has no stake. But if it has a financial stake, then the prohibition is stronger, because it is then a kind of gambling whose prohibition is not doubted and over which there is no disagreement.
The Arabic excerpts matched the original page word for word by an automated check and have not had human scholarly review. The English translations are unreviewed translations made for this site; they are not an approved Shari‘ah translation. Rely on the Arabic original.
Source
Playing cards and chess is not permissible
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him