Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Believers who believe in Allah (swt) and the Last Day know that each of the orders and prohibitions of Allah and His Messenger has a different wisdom. Prayer elevates us spiritually and keeps us away from evil. Fasting disciplines our souls. Zakat cleans our property. Hajj reminds us of the real purpose and outcome of our lives, and sacrifice brings us closer to Allah (swt). Likewise, we all know that things that are forbidden have many wisdoms behind it. For example, alcohol and drugs consume our minds, poison our bodies and destroy our property. One of the things prohibited by Islam is gambling. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) says: “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Shaytan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Shaytan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?”[1]  

Abdullah ibn Amr (r), one of the great scholars of the Companions, also said: “The one who plays with dice for the purpose of gambling is like the one who eats the flesh of a pig, and the one who plays with them without gambling is like the one who dips his hand in the blood of a pig.”[2]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Statistics show that 75% of adults have gambled at least once. Approximately 38% of the society invests money in gambling every month. In particular, forms of gambling such as lotto, scratch cards, slot games, bets and sportsbets are common. In Germany alone, more than 400,000 people are addicted to gambling.
The increasing number of gambling venues shows that these numbers are increasing day by day. In addition, Today, even without leaving the house, this sin can be committed through the smart phones we have.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

The harms of gambling, which are described as “devil’s work” and “filth” in the Qur’an, are countless. As stated in the verse, gambling causes enmity to spread among people. The word “maysir” used for gambling in the Qur’an means “ease” in the dictionary. The reason is its ability to easily remove money from people’s pockets. The loss of money through gambling and the resulting crises divide families and destroy homes. In addition to economic crises, gambling addicts may experience psychological crises that can lead to suicidal thoughts.
We should not assume that this disease is not common in our ummah, although the rate of gamblers is lower among Muslims compared to the general population.The most effective method to avoid gambling addiction would be to stay away from this sin altogether and not get involved at all. Rasulullah (saw) has said:

“And whoever says to his companions, ‘Come let me gamble’ with you, then he must give something in charity (as an expiation for such a sin).”[3]

Our brothers and sisters who do not reach the level of addiction by gambling should immediately repent, delete the relevant applications and promise Allah that they will not play again. We should not deceive ourselves by saying, “If I win, I will do charity”. Our brothers and sisters who are afflicted with gambling addiction must first confess their addiction to themselves and repent. However, it is highly recommended to seek help from psychologists who are experts in this field. The family members of our brothers and sisters, on the other hand, behaving compassionately, not judgmentally, is a condition for successful therapy.

May Allah (swt) make us amongt those who stay away from major sins, especially alcohol and gambling. Ameen.

[1] Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:90-91
[2] Buhârî: El-Edebü’l-Müfred, H.No: 1277
[3] Buhârî: El-Edebü’l-Müfred, H.No: 1262

Khutba-Gambling Addiction