Saudi fatwa banning chess stirs online outcry

Apparently this game makes you use your brain and this is haram, said one Twitter user

DUBAI: A fatwa issued by Saudi Arabia's top cleric prohibiting chess in Islam and equating it with gambling has caused a stir on social media.

In a video of a television programme posted online, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al Sheikh appears categorical when asked about the board game in Islam.

"Chess is prohibited. It is gambling," said Sheikh, insisting that it was a "waste of time and money and a cause for animosity between players".



The video was originally recorded about a month ago but has resurfaced online, generating strong reactions on social media in recent days.

Among those who have condemned the fatwa is Russian former world chess champion Garry Kasparov.

Saudi Arabia trying to ban chess is stupid, but we should be more concerned about their bans on human rights and democracy.

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) January 21, 2016

Lebanese television producer Nasser Fakih tweeted: "Saudi mufti has declared chess haram. Apparently this game makes you use your brain, and this is haram!"

And Twitter user @RaKaN4you said: "Ok, how about PlayStation and Xbox, halal or haram?"

Similarly, others also tweeted against ban on chess:

Keep stonings, ban chess.
Saudi Arabia’s Top Cleric Forbids Chess https://t.co/rMXhwy7Ihj

— Amir Mizroch (@Amirmizroch) January 22, 2016

Saudi Arabia has banned Chess? Why? Because that's one place where the female (Queen) has more freedom to move around than the male (King).

— Vivek Pant (@misguideddna39) January 22, 2016

The Grand Mufti wants to know why there are no camels on the chess board.. #chessban

— Faraz Talat (@FarazTalat) January 22, 2016

But many tweets were also supportive of the cleric's decision to issue the fatwa.

Saudi Arabia applies a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam, which imposes many restrictions, including the segregation between men and women in public, and reinforces a ban on women driving.