Is it permissible to play football and participate in competitions, in which we collect money from all players, then we play three rounds, and then the money we collect is to be given as gifts to the winning team? Is this considered a sort of gambling? .

Competitions – sporting or otherwise – in which competitors pay money then the winner takes all the money, or a prize is bought for him with it, are haram, and it is not permissible for the Muslim to take part in them or to approve of them, or to help with them in any way. There is no exception from this prohibition except competitions which involve training for jihad for the sake of Allah, or which encourage people to seek knowledge and refute the specious arguments of the mushrikin and prove the falseness of their shirk. 

Based on this, the kind of competition mentioned in the question is haram, and it is a kind of gambling and betting which are haram.  

Al-Tirmidhi (1700), al-Nasaa’i (3585), Abu Dawood (2574) and Ibn Majaah (2878) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There should be no (money) prizes for competitions except in archery, camel-racing and horse-racing.”  Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

These three are all skills used in jihad. Hence some scholars added to these three everything that helps in jihad and spreading Islam, such as competitions in (learning and memorizing) Qur’aan, hadeeth and fiqh, in which it is permissible to offer prizes. 

Shaykh Sayyid Saabiq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

It is not permissible to bet in any case where money is offered by all, so that the one who wins will take all the bets, and if a person loses he will lose to his companions, because this comes under the heading of gambling, which is haram. End quote from Fiqh al-Sunnah (3/373). 

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: 

We have noted recently that many young people form sports leagues for various games, either belonging to a club or at the local neighbourhood level. Each team pays a certain amount of money, and one of the teams does not pay anything, and the organizing team buys the cup and prizes, and the other teams play for these prizes. The winning team gets the cup and the other prizes are distributed to the first place winners and others. Please advise us, may Allaah reward you. 

He replied: 

If the prizes are given by someone who did not take part in the competition, such as someone who was not one of the competitors, if he pays a sum of money to the winner, then this does not come under the heading of gambling which is haraam. 

But if the prize is given by each competing team, e.g. each team pays some money and it goes to the winning team, then this is gambling which is haraam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al‑Ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols etc) and Al‑Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful”

[al-Maa’idah 5:90] 

Similarly, if there are three teams and two teams pay but one does not, and the prize is taken by the winning team, this is also haraam, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There should be no (money) prizes for competitions except in camel-racing, horse-racing and archery.” So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated that giving prizes is not permissible except in these three cases, and that is because they are things that have to do with jihad for the sake of Allah. And Allah is the Source of strength. end quote. 

Fataawa Islamiyyah (4/433). 

And Allah knows best.

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Listening to music is haram, whether in Ramadan or at other times, but it is more forbidden in Ramadan, and is a greater sin, because fasting does not only mean refraining from eating and drinking, rather it means attaining piety or fear of Allah, and it means that all the physical faculties should refrain from disobeying Allah. 

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

 “O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”

[al-Baqarah 2:183] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting does not just mean (abstaining) from eating and drinking, rather fasting means (abstaining) from idle and obscene talk…”  

Narrated by al-Haakim who said: This hadeeth is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim. 

See also: Is Music Good In Islam 

The saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) clearly indicates that listening to musical instruments is haraam. 

Al-Bukhaari narrated in a mu’allaq report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There will be among my ummah people who regard adultery, silk, pork and musical instruments as permissible…” Al-Tabaraani and al-Bayhaqi said that this was a mawsool report. 

This hadeeth indicates that musical instruments are haraam in two ways: 

1 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “[they] will regard… as permissible.” This clearly indicates that the things mentioned are haram, but those people will regard them as permissible. 

2 – Musical instruments are mentioned in conjunction with things that are definitely haraam, namely adultery (zina) and alcohol. If it were not haraam it would not have been mentioned alongside them. 

See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah by al-Albaani , hadeeth no. 91. 

The believer should make the most of this blessed month and turn to his Lord. He should repent to Allah and give up haram things that he was in the habit of doing before Ramadan, so that Allah might accept his fast and set his affairs straight. 

And Allaah knows best.

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Praise be to Almighty Allah. 

We ask Allah to bless you with guidance and help you to do that which is good. 

You should understand that your friends’ warning you not to listen to tapes of the Quran or religious lectures and other things that bring you closer to goodness on the grounds that you also listen to music is a serious error on their part. The believer who has the inclination to fall into some sins is still required to do whatever he can of good deeds, and he is still required to avoid all sins and actions that lead to doom so long as he believes in Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as his Prophet and Messenger.

If he commits any shortcoming by failing to do some obligatory deeds, this is not a justification for omitting other obligatory actions too; rather he must hasten to repent from his shortcomings with regard to these duties, and continue doing whatever Allah has enabled him to do of other acts of obedience. Similarly, the fact that he has fallen into one sin is not a justification for him committing other sins; rather he must hasten to repent from his shortcomings. If he cannot give up some sins because his desire is too great and he is too weak to resist, then he should strive to do acts of worship and obedience, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins).”

[Hood 11:114]

Hence it is conceivable that a believer may do both acts of obedience and acts of disobedience, and this is not hypocrisy or secularism at all, so long as the person is not concealing corruption in his heart and he admits that what he is doing is wrong, and he asks Allah for forgiveness and strives to avoid sin. 

Perhaps your keenness to listen to the Quran and religious lectures may be a cause of your stopping listening to haram music, because:

“Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right.”

[al-Isra 17:9].  

If we assume that you continue as you are, that is undoubtedly better than stopping listening to the Quran and good things, because you know that Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.

And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.”

[al-Zalzalah 99:7-8] 

“Surely, Allah wrongs not even of the weight of an atom (or a small ant), but if there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from Him a great reward.”

[al-Nisa 4:40] 

On the Day of Resurrection, people’s deeds will be weighed: 

“Then as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be heavy,

He will live a pleasant life (in Paradise).

But as for him whose Balance (of good deeds) will be light,

He will have his home in Hawiyah (pit, i.e. Hell).

And what will make you know what it is?

(It is) a fiercely blazing Fire!”

[al-Qari’ah 101:6-11] 

So you should strive to do all that which will make the balance of your good deeds heavy, such as good deeds and acts of worship, even if it is a little, for Allah is most generous, most forgiving and most merciful. And He will multiply a little until it is like a mountain or greater, so “Do not think little of any act of kindness, even if it is greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance” and “Your smiling at your brother is an act of charity” as our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us in the saheeh hadeeths (authentic narrations). 

This does not mean that we approve of your listening to music, but if there is no alternative then be one of those:

“... who have acknowledged their sins, they have mixed a deed that was righteous with another that was evil. Perhaps Allah will turn unto them in forgiveness. Surely, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

[al-Tawbah 9:102]

You have to beware of everything that could cause your balance of good deeds to be lighter, such as sins and evil deeds, because Allah is stern in punishment of those who disobey Him and transgress His sacred limits. So hasten to repent sincerely and ask Allah to help you in that.  

Persist in doing good deeds and do as much of them as you can; advise your friends to fear Allah and hasten to do good deeds and give up evil deeds. 

Finally, we advise you to seek good companions who can help you to do good and make it dear to you, and keep away from bad companions who make evil appear attractive to you and keep you from doing good. You should also pray to Allah and ask Him to guide you and them and help you to repent. Allah is the One Whom we ask to enable us all to repent sincerely, expiate our sins and guide our hearts, for He is the best one to ask. 

And Allah knows best.

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Praise be to the Almighty Allah!

If your husband is spending on you and on his children, then it is not permissible for you to take any of his money, because it is haram to take money except with the consent of its owner. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves unjustly except it be a trade amongst you, by mutual consent”

[an-Nisa’ 4:29].

And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Verily your blood, your wealth and your honour are sacred to one another, as sacred as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of yours. Let those who are present convey it to those who are absent.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (67) and Muslim (1679).

And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is not permissible to take the wealth of a Muslim unless he gives it willingly.” Narrated by Ahmad (20172); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (1459).

If he falls short in obligatory spending, it is permissible for you to take that from his wealth on a reasonable basis, because of the hadith of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) according to which Hind bint ‘Utbah said: O Messenger of Allah, Abu Sufyaan is a stingy man and he does not give me what is sufficient for me and my children, except what I take from him without him knowing. He said: “Take what is sufficient for you and your child on a reasonable basis.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5364).

But if he is not falling short in obligatory spending, then it is not permissible for you to take anything of his wealth without his consent.

So beware of taking from his wealth that which is not permissible for you, or of hiding anything of it, even if that is on the grounds of saving it for his children, because you have no authority to do that and the children have no right to their father’s wealth whilst he is still alive, apart from what is needed for their maintenance, unless your husband gives you permission to save (some of his money), in which case there is nothing wrong with doing so.

So if you tell him that you are going to save any surplus from household costs for the children, for example, and he gives permission to do that, then there is nothing wrong with it, and it will come under the heading of a conditional gift to be given when one has the means to do so.

You should also advise your husband to fear Allah, may He be exalted, to remember that He is always watching, and to take care of his wealth.

You should also be wise in calling him to goodness and diverting him from evil; you should be patient and seek reward with Allah, and focus on raising your children. You should be patient in bearing what you dislike of his conduct, for that is better for you than destroying the household and causing hardship to the children.

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Know that there is a great deal of good in patiently bearing what is disliked, victory comes with patience and relief comes with distress and with hardship comes ease” Narrated by Ahmad (2803) and others, from the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbaas. Classed as saheeh by Shaykh Ahmad Shaakir and the commentators on al-Musnad.

We ask Allah to guide your husband and put your mind at rest.

And Allah knows best.

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