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Why is gambling not considered one of the major sins, despite its prohibition in the Quran and Sunnah, and why is it confused with actual major sins like usury and fornication?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Gambling is one of the major sins, based on the words of Allah the Almighty: ﴿O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause animosity and hatred between you through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?﴾. "Al-Maysir" (gambling) is gambling of any kind, and it is consuming people's wealth unlawfully. It falls under the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: "Indeed, men who indulge in Allah's wealth without right will have the Fire on the Day of Resurrection." Moreover, merely saying "Come, let me gamble with you" necessitates giving charity, so what about the act itself? A major sin is that for which a legal punishment (Hadd) is prescribed, or for which one is threatened with Hellfire, or a curse, or wrath. This is indicated by every text that prohibits consuming wealth unlawfully and warns against it, such as his (the Prophet's) saying, peace be upon him: "Every body that is nourished by unlawful earnings, the Fire is more befitting for it."

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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