How many hours does a person need for recreation, and should they divide their time between worship and recreation, and is it permissible to play war video games, football, and adventure games that are free of indecent scenes?
There are no specific hours for permissible amusement, as the matter depends on fulfilling outward and inward obligations without shortcoming. The remaining time should not be spent solely in worship and remembrance. Imam Muslim narrated the hadith of Hanzala al-Usaydi, in which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "An hour and an hour," meaning that a person needs times for worship and times for permissible activities such as fulfilling needs, socializing with family, and permissible amusement. Permissible acts, with a good intention, can transform into acts of worship. Believers vary in their levels of time utilization, and the more a Muslim preserves their time in acts of obedience, the closer they are to Allah. Recreation should only involve permissible acts, and the more beneficial and honorable the recreation, the better it is in this world and the Hereafter.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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