Islam on Playing Chess/Backgammon

41 The Book of Poetry

(2) Chapter: The Prohibition Of Playing Nardashir

According to the sunnah of Muhammad and the opinion of his followers, playing chess or badgammon is a sin which is condemned:

Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle said:

He who played chess is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine. (Sahih Muslim, Book 028, Number 5612 https://www.searchtruth.com/book_display.php?book=028&translator=2&start=0&number=5612; https://hadithcollection.com/sahihmuslim/sahih-muslim-book-28-poetry/sahih-muslim-book-028-hadith-number-5612)

Here's another rendering of the aforementioned hadith:

Buraida reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Apostle said:

He who played Nardashir (a game similar to backgammon) is like one who dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine.

Reference: Sahih Muslim 2260

In-book reference: Book 41, Hadith 11

USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 28, Hadith 5612 (https://sunnah.com/muslim/41/11)

Other narrations prohibiting chess include the following:

‘Ali used to say that chess is the maisir of the foreigners. Ibn Shihab told that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari used to say that only a sinner plays chess.

He told that when asked about playing chess he replied that it pertains to what is worthless and that God does not like what is worthless.

Baihaqi transmitted the four traditions in Shu’ab al-iman.

Reference: Mishkat al-Masabih 4510, 4511, 4512

In-book reference: Book 22, Hadith 197 (https://sunnah.com/mishkat:4510; emphasis mine)

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad

42 Greetings

(468) Chapter: Do not greet an openly sinful person

'Ali ibn 'Abdullah was heard expressing his dislike for chess and said, "Do not greet someone who plays it. It is a kind of gambling."

Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1019

In-book reference: Book 42, Hadith 56

English translation: Book 42, Hadith 1019 (https://sunnah.com/adab:1019; emphasis mine)

Muwatta Malik

52 Visions

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that when he found one of his family playing dice he beat him and destroyed the dice.

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "There is no good in chess, and he disapproved of it." Yahya said, "I heard him disapprove of playing it and other worthless games. He recited this ayat, 'What is there after the truth except going the wrong way.' " (Sura 10 ayat 32).

Sunnah.com reference: Book 52, Hadith 8

USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 52, Hadith 7

Arabic reference: Book 52, Hadith 1758 (https://sunnah.com/malik/52/8; emphasis mine)

Further Reading

Muhammad a Mercy Unto Creation: What About Dogs?

Blame it on the Gecko!

A Showdown with Nimrod?