Gambling and Looting

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ لا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْباطِلِ‌[2] فَقَالَ كَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ تُقَامِرُ الرَّجُلَ بِأَهْلِهِ وَ مَالِهِ فَنَهَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘You must not consume your assets in invalid dealings among your selves. . . (2:184) He (the Imam) said, ‘Among Quraysh a man gambled even his wife and property. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, pr

لَمَّا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص‌ - إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَ الْمَيْسِرُ وَ الْأَنْصابُ وَ الْأَزْلامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ‌[1] قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا الْمَيْسِرُ فَقَالَ كُلُّ مَا تُقُومِرَ بِهِ حَتَّى الْكِعَابُ وَ الْجَوْزُ قِيلَ فَمَا الْأَنْصَابُ قَالَ مَا ذَبَحُوهُ لآِلِهَتِهِمْ قِيلَ فَمَا الْأَزْلَامُ قَالَ قِدَاحُهُمُ الَّتِي يَسْتَقْسِمُونَ بِهَا.

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that when Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sent to His Messenger, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, the following verse, ‘Wine, gambling, idols and gambling arrows are of the filthy deeds of Satan, you must avoid them’ (5:93),

بَعَثَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع غُلَاماً يَشْتَرِي لَهُ بَيْضاً فَأَخَذَ الْغُلَامُ بَيْضَةً أَوْ بَيْضَتَيْنِ فَقَامَرَ بِهَا فَلَمَّا أَتَى بِهِ أَكَلَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَوْلًى لَهُ إِنَّ فِيهِ مِنَ الْقِمَارِ قَالَ فَدَعَا بِطَشْتٍ فَتَقَيَّأَهُ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from all from ibn Mahbub from Yunus ibn Ya’qub from ‘Abd al-Hamid ibn Sa‘id who has said the following: “Once, abu al-Hassan ‘Alayhi al-Salam, sent one of the slaves to buy eggs for him. The slave took one or two eggs

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَا يَزْنِي الزَّانِي حِينَ يَزْنِي وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَسْرِقُ السَّارِقُ حِينَ يَسْرِقُ وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَنْهَبُ نُهْبَةً ذَاتَ شَرَفٍ‌[2] حِينَ يَنْهَبُهَا وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ قَالَ ابْنُ سِنَانٍ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْجَارُودِ وَ مَا نُهْبَةٌ ذَاتُ شَرَفٍ قَالَ نَحْوُ مَا صَنَعَ حَاتِمٌ حِينَ قَالَ مَنْ أَخَذَ شَيْئاً فَهُوَ لَهُ.

‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘A fornicator does not fornicate while he is a believing person, a thief does not steal while he is a believing person and an honorable person does not do Nahbah Dhata Sharaf (an honor-loot)

لَا تَصْلُحُ الْمُقَامَرَةُ وَ لَا النُّهْبَةُ.

“One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘Gambling and plundering are not righteous deeds.’”

كَانَ يَنْهَى عَنِ الْجَوْزِ يَجِي‌ءُ بِهِ الصِّبْيَانُ مِنَ الْقِمَارِ أَنْ يُؤْكَلَ وَ قَالَ هُوَ سُحْتٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), would prohibit utilization of walnuts, that children bring after using in gambling, saying that it is Suht (filthy), unlawful.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ النُّثَارِ مِنَ السُّكَّرِ وَ اللَّوْزِ وَ أَشْبَاهِهِ أَ يَحِلُّ أَكْلُهُ قَالَ يُكْرَهُ أَكْلُ مَا انْتُهِبَ‌[3].

about the case of what is spread of sugar, almond and so on, on happy occasions if is permissible. He (the Imam) said, ’It is detestable to consume what is plundered.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْإِمْلَاكُ يَكُونُ وَ الْعُرْسُ فَيُنْثَرُ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ فَقَالَ حَرَامٌ وَ لَكِنْ مَا أَعْطَوْكَ مِنْهُ فَخُذْهُ.[1]

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about what people scatter on certain people during an entertaining occasion or wedding ceremony. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is unlawful but what they give, you can take it.’”

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ الْمَيْسِرُ هُوَ الْقِمَارُ.

‘Al-Maysir is gambling.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الصِّبْيَانُ يَلْعَبُونَ بِالْجَوْزِ وَ الْبَيْضِ وَ يُقَامِرُونَ فَقَالَ لَا تَأْكُلْ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ حَرَامٌ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of children who play with walnuts and eggs and gamble. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not consume them for food; it is unlawful.’”