Watches football games on TV for 90 minutes

17/06/2018| IslamWeb

Question:

I sometimes watch football match on TV, I don't pay money for it, I don't even go to the stadium (where it plays) to spend watching it 90 minutes without doing anything else, what the Qur'an and Hadeeth says about the time consuming?

 

Fatwa:

 

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.

 

First, we ask Allah to reward you about being keen not to waste your time and for asking about what would benefit you.

 

You have to know that time is a blessing, whoever preserves it will be successful in this life and in the Hereafter, and whoever does not preserve it, will regret. A Muslim should spend his time in the obedience of Allah, seeking beneficial knowledge, keeping company with scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, and righteous people and performing as many good deeds as possible.

 

Besides, he should mainly preserve the daily obligations, perform optional acts of worship, and fulfil the rights of his parents and relatives.

 

However, there is no harm for a person to entertain himself with what is permissible. Watching football matches, if this does not involve any forbidden act, like looking to the 'Awrah (the parts of the body that must be covered in Islam), or being prevented from fulfilling daily obligations and the like, then there is no harm in it, Inshaa' Allah. But the reality proves that such matches which are shown on TV are rarely free from religious prohibitions, so it is more appropriate to avoid watching them. One can do other things that are Islamicly permissible and avoid committing sin.     

 

Allah knows best.

 

Fatwa answered by: The Fatwa Center at Islamweb