The Book of Drinks

سَأَلْتُ الْخُرَاسَانِيَّ ع وَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ الْعَبَّاسِيَ‌[1] ذَكَرَ أَنَّكَ تُرَخِّصُ فِي الْغِنَاءِ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ الزِّنْدِيقُ مَا هَكَذَا قُلْتُ لَهُ سَأَلَنِي عَنِ الْغِنَاءِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْغِنَاءِ فَقَالَ يَا فُلَانُ إِذَا مَيَّزَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَ الْبَاطِلِ فَأَنَّى يَكُونُ الْغِنَاءُ فَقَالَ مَعَ الْبَاطِلِ فَقَالَ قَدْ حَكَمْتَ.

“I once asked al-Khurasaniy (a.s.), saying, ‘Al-‘Abbasiy has said that you allow al-Ghina’ (music (and singing)). He (the Imam) said, ‘The infidel has spoken a lie. I did not say so to him. He asked me about al-Ghina’ (music (and singing)) and I said, ‘Once a man came to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and asked him about al-Ghina’

النَّرْدُ وَ الشِّطْرَنْجُ وَ الْأَرْبَعَةَ عَشَرَ بِمَنْزِلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَ كُلُّ مَا قُومِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَهُوَ مَيْسِرٌ.

“Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘Dice, chess and checkers are all the same. Whatever is used in gambling (speculating) is gambling.”’

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ فَاجْتَنِبُوا الرِّجْسَ مِنَ الْأَوْثانِ وَ اجْتَنِبُوا قَوْلَ الزُّورِ[2] فَقَالَ الرِّجْسُ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ الشِّطْرَنْجُ وَ قَوْلُ الزُّورِ الْغِنَاءُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘...Stay away from wickedness, idols, and false words.’ (22:30) He (the Imam) said, “The idols’ is a reference to chess and ‘false words’ stands for al-Ghina’ (music (and singing)).”’

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ الشِّطْرَنْجُ وَ النَّرْدُ هُمَا الْمَيْسِرُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘Chess and dice are al- Maysir (gambling).”’

الشِّطْرَنْجُ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Chess is of falsehood.’”

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ عُتَقَاءَ مِنَ النَّارِ إِلَّا مَنْ أَفْطَرَ عَلَى‌ مُسْكِرٍ أَوْ مشاحن‌[1] [مُشَاحِناً] أَوْ صَاحِبَ شَاهَيْنِ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ أَيُّ شَيْ‌ءٍ صَاحِبُ شَاهَيْنِ قَالَ الشِّطْرَنْجُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that every night in the month of Ramadan Allah sets free from fire certain people, except those who break their fast with intoxicating substances, a heretic in religion and Sahib of Shahayn (player of the game with two kings). I then asked, ‘What is Sahib of Shahayn ?’ He (the Imam) sai

أَ رَأَيْتَكَ إِذَا مُيِّزَ الْحَقُّ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ مَعَ أَيِّهِمَا يَكُونُ قَالَ قُلْتُ مَعَ الْبَاطِلِ قَالَ فَلَا خَيْرَ فِيهِ.

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “Once, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about chess and about a game of youths called ‘al-Amir game’ and the game called ‘ Thalathah’ . He (the Imam) said, ‘Consider if

الرِّجْسُ مِنَ الْأَوْثَانِ هُوَ الشِّطْرَنْجُ وَ قَوْلُ الزُّورِ الْغِنَاءُ.

“About the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘You must stay away from the filth of idols and you must stay away from false words,’ abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, “‘The filth of idols” is a reference to chess and “false words” stands for al-Ghina ’ (music (and singing)).”’

كُنْتُ أَنَا وَ إِدْرِيسُ أَخِي عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ إِدْرِيسُ جَعَلَنَا اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ مَا الْمَيْسِرُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هِيَ الشِّطْرَنْجُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّهَا النَّرْدُ قَالَ وَ النَّرْدُ أَيْضاً.

‘It is chess.’ I then said that they say it is dice.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Dice also is al-Maysir (gambling).”’

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءِ الَّتِي يَلْعَبُ بِهَا النَّاسُ النَّرْدِ وَ الشِّطْرَنْجِ حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى السُّدَّرِ[2] فَقَالَ إِذَا مَيَّزَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَ الْبَاطِلِ فِي أَيِّهِمَا يَكُونُ قُلْتُ مَعَ الْبَاطِلِ قَالَ فَمَا لَكَ وَ لِلْبَاطِلِ.

“I once asked Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about these things with which people play, like dice, chess... until I mentioned al-Sudar (a certain game). He (the Imam) said, ‘If Allah makes right distinct from wrong, where will it fall?’ I said that it would fall in the wrong category. He (the Imam) said, ‘What then do you have to

يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ فِي شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ إِلَّا لِثَلَاثَةٍ صَاحِبِ مُسْكِرٍ أَوْ صَاحِبِ شَاهَيْنِ أَوْ مُشَاحِنٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘In the month of Ramadan Allah forgives certain people except a drunk person, a chess playing person and a heretic.’”

الشِّطْرَنْجُ مَيْسِرٌ وَ النَّرْدُ مَيْسِرٌ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Chess is al-Maysir (gambling) and dice is al-Maysir (gambling).”’

دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْبَصْرِيِّينَ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَقْعُدُ مَعَ قَوْمٍ يَلْعَبُونَ بِالشِّطْرَنْجِ وَ لَسْتُ أَلْعَبُ بِهَا وَ لَكِنْ أَنْظُرُ فَقَالَ مَا لَكَ وَ لِمَجْلِسٍ لَا يَنْظُرُ اللَّهُ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ.

I sit with people who play chess but I do not play. I only look at it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What do you have to do with a gathering to which Allah does not look?”’

دَعُوا الْمَجُوسِيَّةَ لِأَهْلِهَا لَعَنَهَا اللَّهُ.

'You must leave al-Majusiyya (the Zoroastrian thing) for its people, may Allah condemn it.'"

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ مَا تَقُولُ فِي الشِّطْرَنْجِ الَّتِي يَلْعَبُ بِهَا النَّاسُ فَقَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَنْ كَانَ نَاطِقاً فَكَانَ مَنْطِقُهُ لِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كَانَ لَاغِياً وَ مَنْ كَانَ صَامِتاً فَكَانَ صَمْتُهُ لِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّ

“Al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, that once a man came to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and said, ‘O Abu Ja‘far, what do you say about chess with which people play?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘My father Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to me from al-Husayn ibn Ali from ’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.). He (the Imam) has said that the Messenger of Allah (a

دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا تَقُولُ فِي الشِّطْرَنْجِ قَالَ الْمُقَلِّبُ‌[1] لَهَا كَالْمُقَلِّبِ لَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ فَقُلْتُ مَا عَلَى مَنْ قَلَّبَ لَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ قَالَ يَغْسِلُ يَدَهُ.

“I once visited abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), and said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about chess?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘One who turns it from side to side is like one who turns pork from side to side.’ I then asked, ‘What must one who has turned pork from side to side do?’ He (t

الْمُطَّلِعُ فِي الشِّطْرَنْجِ كَالْمُطَّلِعِ فِي النَّارِ.

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘One who seeks cognizance with chess is like one seeking cognizance with the fire.’”

نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنِ اللَّعِبِ بِالشِّطْرَنْجِ وَ النَّرْدِ.

17. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, prohibited playing with chess and dice.’”