There is a long history of debate surrounding chess and its suitability as recreation for Muslims. Some have considerd it permissible, while others have pronounced it reprehensible or forbidden. The current opinion among most Muslims is that it is permissible if three conditions are met while playing: 1- One should not get so absorbed in it that he delays prayers. 2- There should be no gambling involved. 3- The players should not utter obscenities or vulgarities.

My husband (a Muslim) laughed when he read this question...we play chess a lot tho I guess he really shouldn't...not because its haram...but because hes crap at it. He also gambles,drinks alchol and had sex before marraige...all haram...well I guess he thought that if hes not going to get his 7 virgins in the after life he had better have them before he goes ;D

It is Haram if one gambles on it. one gets absorped so m uch he does not return greetings (salam). one misses or delays prayers. these conditions apply to all board games and even physical activities, (sleeping, football, walking etc) there are no mental benefits (it does not increase intelligence but decreases intelligance and understanding and socialism) it does not resemble warfare so there are no benefits to the game. to abstain with the intention that it is bad or haram is a rewarding deed (inshaallah) because the good is outweighed by the bad it is haram. because it can cause hatred and differenc amongst each other it is haram. (addictive things are makruh and if they make you miss prayer and compulsory acts become sinful. Allah knows best salaamun alaikum wa rahmatullah

come on ,it is just a game of course not haram.

There is a difference as to the permissibility of chess in islam, Many of the great Muslim scholars have clearly stated the prohibition and non-permissibility of chess. Imam Malik RA said that it is worse than the game of nard (backgammon, which is also haram) and more destructive than gambling. Some claim that according to the Mazhab (school of thoughts) of Imam Shafi’ee R A the playing of chess is permissible but it must be stated that this was the first view of the great imam but even then he fixed certain conditions for its permissibility, e.g. involvement in the game must not be to the extent that the performance of Salaat is delayed from its fixed time; the game must not be played abundantly; absorption in it must not be so much that the answer to someone’s salaam is not given, etc. These conditions are not to be found these days when this game is being played. It is also a fact that Imam Shafiee later withdrew of chess being permissible. Some other hadith include: Hadhrat Ali said: “Chess is gambling of the Ajam people (non Arabs)” And another one where the prophet says that chess is worse than dying ones hand in the blood of swine(note that i m not sure of this hadith nor the reference)

what s the deal with these long meaningless answers it s just a game don t make a big deal out of it

It is haram for shia in iraq