Four Reasons Not to Watch Football
Questioner: Many brothers – Allāh guide them – watch [sports] matches on the television, and they say that there is nothing wrong with this, despite knowing that the uncovering of the ʿawrah is apparent in these matches – especially the matches that occur outside of the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] – and in the stands there are women attending. Sadly, this person may be adherent to this, and he uses as evidence the fact that he is only watching; it is not for cheering or spurring them on.
Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله said:
The reality is that what you have observed, some people have been trialled with, and they have begun to severely desire watching sports matches, such that some of them may abandon the ṣalāh with the jamāʿah (congregation) due to this. There is no doubt that if he abandons the jamāʿah due to this then he is a sinner, as [attending] the jamāʿah is obligatory. However, if we assume that, after he leaves after ʿishāʾ, he sits [and watches], then here we say: this sitting of yours – if you are not in sin –
then it is mere jest, however, I do not believe that he is safe from sin due to a number of matters:
Firstly: he is wasting his time without benefit, and time is more valuable than wealth and more precious than wealth to an intelligent person. For this reason, Allāh تعالى said:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَحَدَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ٱرْجِعُونِ ٩٩ لَعَلِّىٓ أَعْمَلُ صَـٰلِحًۭا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ ۚ
“… until, when death comes to one of you, he says, ‘My Rabb, send me back (99) so that I may do good in that which I left behind.’ ”
He did not say, ‘so that I may watch sports matches,’ or, ‘enjoy the worldly life,’; he said: ‘so that I may do good in that which I left behind,’ so this shows his regret for that which he spent in other than obeying Allāh عز وجل.
Secondly: it causes his heart to become attached to it, whereas if he were to wean himself off it it would not concern him, just as is known of the brothers who do not watch it; it does not bother them. Thus, if they are watching the news and then these matches come on he will turn off the television. However, if he begins to watch them his heart will become attached to them, he will begin have fondness for them, and his love for them will become uncontrollable.
Thirdly: perhaps someone will win in these matches who is a kāfir or is a fāsiq (corrupt person) and so veneration, love, and loyalty towards them occur in his heart, and this is dangerous.
Fourthly: he will waste money by way of what he spends on the television in terms of electricity bills, and, likewise, the lights in the space he is in, and perhaps this will eat up great amounts of money.
For this reason, we believe that watching these matches contains some amount of idiocy, and also some danger for a person. Thus, that which is incumbent upon you, determined fellow, is that you do not watch these matches.
Tr: Abū Hurayrah al-Birīṭānī
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