What is the ruling on playing or allowing one’s children to play the many electronic games that are widely available, such as those produced by companies like Sony and Nintendo, etc.?
Praise be to Allaah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah.
The one who looks at these games will see that they are based on mental skills and individual reactions or decisions. These games are of various types, with many aspects. Some of them take the form of illusionary battles which train a person in what to do in similar circumstances [in real life]; some are based on being alert so as to save oneself from danger; fighting enemies and destroying targets; planning; having adventures; finding the way out of a labyrinth; escaping from wild beasts; racing cars, planes, etc.; overcoming obstacles; searching for treasure. Some games increase knowledge and enhance one’s interests, such as games that involve taking things apart and putting them back together, jigsaw puzzles, building things, colouring, and shading and lighting.
The shar'i ruling:
Islam does not forbid leisure or having fun in permissible ways. The basic rule concerning these games is that they are permissible so long as they do not get in the way of obligatory duties such as establishing prayer [i.e., praying properly and on time] and honouring one’s parents, and so long as they do not include anything that is haraam. There are, however, many haraam elements in these games, such as the following:
Games which depict wars between the people of this world (“good guys”) and people from the sky (“bad guys”), with all its implications of accusations against Allaah, may He be glorified, or the noble angels.
Games which involve sanctifying the cross or passing over or by it to gain strength, to bring one back to life or the give the player extra “lives” and so on. Also, games which are used for designing birthday cards as in Christian culture are also forbidden.
Games which approve of witchcraft/magic, and which glorify witches/magicians/sorcerers, etc.
Games which are based on hatred of Islam and Muslims, like the game in which a player gets 100 points if he hits Makkah, 50 points if he hits Baghdaad, and so on.
Games that glorify the kuffaar and show pride in belonging to them, like games in which if a player chooses an army belonging to a kaafir state he becomes strong, and if he chooses an army belonging to an Arab state he becomes weak. Also, games which teach a child to admire kaafir sports clubs and the names of kaafir players.
Games that include depictions of nudity, and some games that allow the winner to see a pornographic picture; games that corrupt morals, such as games where the idea is to run away with a girlfriend from the bad guys or a dragon.
Games based on ideas of gambling.
Music and other things that are known to be forbidden in Islam.
Physical harm, such as damage to the eyes and nervous system; harmful effects of game sounds on the ears. Modern studies have shown that these games may be addictive and harmful to the nervous system, as well as causing stress and nervous tension in children.
Making children get used to violence and criminality, and teaching them to take killing and murder lightly, as in the famous “Doom” game.
Corrupting children’s sense of reality by teaching them about a world of illusions and impossible things, such as coming back from the dead, supernatural powers that do not really exist, images of space aliens, and so on.
We have gone into details about some of the ideological dangers and things that are prohibited by Islam because many fathers and mothers do not pay attention to these things, and they bring these games for their children and let them play with them.
We should also point out that it is not permissible to compete for prizes in playing these electronic games, even if the game itself is permissible, because they are not a means of jihaad, and they do not help you develop strength for jihaad.
(al-Musaabaqaat wa Ahkaamuhaa fi’l-Sharee’ah al-Islaamiyyah by Dr, Sa’d al-Shathri).
Quelle:
http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2898/game
Ein Bruder hat es zusammengefasst und folgendes geschrieben:
Islam verbietet erlaubte Freizeit und erlaubten Spaß haben nicht. Die Grundregel über diese Spiele ist, dass sie erlaubt sind, solange sie nicht daran hindern, Pflichten wie das Gebet zu verrichten (richtig beten und zur richtigen Zeit) und das Ehren der Eltern und solange sie nichts beeinhalten, was verboten ist. Es gibt, wie auch immer, viele verbotene Elemente in diesen Spielen, wie zum Beispiel:
Spiele, welche Kriege zwischen Menschen dieser Welt ("die Guten") und Menschen aus dem Himmel ("die Bösen"), mit all seinen Auswirkungen der Beschuldigungen gegen Allah, möge er gepriesen sein, oder den edlen Engel.
Spiele, welche das Heiligen des Kreuzes beeinhalten oder die Stärkung dadurch, oder extra Leben etc.
Spiele, die Magie bewilligen und Magier, Hexen etc. preisen.
Spiele, die auf den Hass gegen den Islam und Muslime basieren.
Spiele, in denen die Kuffaar gepriesen werden und stolz vermittlen, ihnen angehörend, wie Spiele, in denen der
Spieler eine Armee der Kuffaar-Staaten wählt und er dadurch Stärke gewinnt und wenn er eine Armee der arabischen Staaten wählt, er an Schwäche zunimmt.
Spiele, welche das Kind lehren, die Sportvereine der Kuffar zu verehren und die Namen von ungläubigen Spielern.
Spiele, welche pornographische Elemente beeinhalten, sowie Spiele, welche die Moral verderben, wie ein Spiel, in dem man mit einer Freundin weglaufen muss etc.
Spiele, welche auf der Idee des Glücksspiels basieren.
Spiele, die Musik und andere Dinge beeinhalten, von denen man weiß, dass sie im Islam verboten sind.
Spiele, die körperlichen Schaden verursachen, wie das Schaden der Augen und des Nervensystems etc.
Das Gewöhnen von Kindern an Gewalt und Kriminalität und ihnen lehren, das Töten leicht zu nehmen, wie in dem bekannten "Doom" Spiel.
Das Verderben von dem Sinn zur Realität von Kindern, durch das Lehren von einer Welt voller Illusionen und unmöglichen Dinge, wie das Wiederauferstehen nach dem Tod (anm: damit ist natürlich die Dunja gemeint), übernatürliche Kräfte, Aliens etc.
Außerdem ist der Wettkampf in Computerspielen verboten, sofern es Preise/Gewinne dafür gibt.
Allahu alem.
