Question:-
Is it permissible to play ‘Bingo’?
Answer:-
Bingo is game where one person spins a basket of balls that are numbered. A numbered ball emerges from the basket and each player tries to match the number on the ball with the numbers on his score card. The first player to match 5 numbers in a row (on his score card) calls out the word ‘Bingo’ and is considered the winner. This is one way of playing the game.
The Ulama have written that if a game is played for entertainment and pleasure, not with the objective of gambling, and it doesn’t distract one from the obedience of Allah Ta’ala, such as performance of Salaah etc. then it will be acceptable, with the proviso that one doesn’t become habitual of playing the game, rather it is played once in a while, and one makes an effort to give up playing the game (since there isn’t any worldly or Deeni benefit) in playing such games.
اگر کیرم میں بازی (یعنی ہار جیت کی کوئی قیمت) نہ لگائی جائے محض تفریح کی غرض سے تھوڑی دیر کھیل لیا جائے اور اس کی وجہ سے کسی ضروری اور مذہبی کام میں خلل نہ آئے تو۔۔۔۔مباح ہوگا (کفایت المفتی ص۲۰۴ ج۹)
اگر ہار جیت نہ ہو اور احکام شریعت میں اس کی وجہ سے خلل نہ آئے تو کبھی کبھی وحشت اور دل بہلانے کے لئے اس کھیل (کرم) کی کنجائش ہے ، تاہم اس کی عادت نہ ڈالی جائے ، اور اس کو چھوڑنے کی کوشش کی جائے (فتاوی محمودیہ ص۵۳۶ ج۱۹
Notwithstanding the above, looking at the concept of the game, it is very similar to the ‘Lotto’ gambling game which is Haraam. By playing the bingo game, it is very likely that one could be easily attracted towards playing the ‘Lotto’ and consequently, fall into gambling. Therefore, one should totally refrain from playing Bingo, even though it may be played for entertainment.
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date: 09 Shawwal 1443 / 11 May 2022
