Saturday, January 12, 2008

Gambling and strong drink, sayings by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"If one enters a horse with two others when he is not certain that it cannot be beaten, it is not gambling; but when one enters a horse with two others when he is certain it cannot be beaten, it is gambling." Book 8. Jihad. Hadith 2573 (Abu Dawud)

Narrated by Umar ibn al-Khattab: When the prohibition of wine (was yet to be) declared, Umar said: O Allah, give us a satisfactory explanation about wine. So the following verse of Surat al-Baqarah (the Cow) revealed, "They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: in them is great sin..." Umar then called and it was recited to him.
He said: O Allah, give us a satisfactory explanation about wine. Then the following verse of Surat an-Nisa (Women) was revealed, "O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged." Thereafter the herald of the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) would call when the congregational prayer was performed: Beware, one who is drunk should not come to prayer. Umar was again called and it was recited to him.
He said: O Allah, give us a satisfactory explanation about wine. This verse was revealed: "Will ye not then abstain?" Umar said: We abstained. Book 20. Drinks. Hadith 3662 (Abu Dawud)

Ibn Abbas said: The Quranic Verse: "O ye who believe, approach not prayers with a mind befogged until you can understand all that ye say," and the verse: "They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: In them some profit for men," were revealed by the verse in Surat al-Ma'idah: O who believe, intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones...
Book 20. Drinks Hadith 3664 (Abu Dawud)