Computer gaming tips are not considered cheating

5-11-2013 | IslamWeb

Question:

When playing a computer game you can go on a walkthrough when you are stuck to help you go on in the game. Is this considered cheating in Islam?
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Just viewing the solutions for difficult games by continuing such games or by the computer giving some tips to continue the game is not considered as cheating. Cheating means treachery, forgery and concealing faults. Mirqaat Al-Mafaateeh, when interpreting the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ): “Whoever cheats us is not from us.”, reads: "i.e. betrays us and fails to advise us, like if he concealed a fault in a commodity."

For more benefit on the ruling on computer games and the conditions for their permissibility, please refer to Fataawa 91906,  86146 and 164435.

Allaah Knows best.

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