Is downloading a game haram?

[gengis]

there were some comments on the main site about downloading games and whether it would be classified as Haram. I was having a chat with a brother on steam about the same subject too. There seems to be many opinions about the subject as some see it as ok and others agree that it is haram.

One brother said playing games is haram anyway so even if you download a game or buy it its still haram, so whats the difference.

Your thoughts?

[thulfiqaar]

- I don't see all games as haram but I can understand why some would be classified as such. I think everybody can use their own common sense to figure out which one is haram and which one is halal.
For example, you can't say movies are haram because there are different types of movies. There are even islamic movies, like 'the Message' etc.


As for gaming in general, as long as it doesn't interfene with your wajib as a muslim, I don't see why it would be haram. It's a form of entertainment, just as a game of cards is or a movie.

Downloading games illegally is haram in my opinion. It's the same as stealing. Why? Put yourself in their shoes. Say you open your own independant gaming company and you work hard and long with a number of people to create a game. Then you put it out there for sale. Then you notice that your sales aren't as good as you hoped it to be or even if it was, would you be ok with people downloading something for free when you have worked so hard and long to create it?
I used to download but have stopped doing so because in my opinion it's stealing.

[hypno]

I disagree with the saying that games are haram. As long as it remains as an entertainment and not more than that, it's OK. Unless, if the content of the game is... You know.

Illegal download = stealing. Well, even stealing beer is stealing. It doesn't mean that stealing is OK even though we know that beer is haram.

[kytan]

İllegal games are crime

[MajoodFTW]

- I don't see all games as haram but I can understand why some would be classified as such. I think everybody can use their own common sense to figure out which one is haram and which one is halal.
For example, you can't say movies are haram because there are different types of movies. There are even islamic movies, like 'the Message' etc.


As for gaming in general, as long as it doesn't interfene with your wajib as a muslim, I don't see why it would be haram. It's a form of entertainment, just as a game of cards is or a movie.

Downloading games illegally is haram in my opinion. It's the same as stealing. Why? Put yourself in their shoes. Say you open your own independant gaming company and you work hard and long with a number of people to create a game. Then you put it out there for sale. Then you notice that your sales aren't as good as you hoped it to be or even if it was, would you be ok with people downloading something for free when you have worked so hard and long to create it?
I used to download but have stopped doing so because in my opinion it's stealing.

+1

[yogzgm]

if we downloading a illegal copy that maybe haram
but if we buy from digital store that maybe not haram

playing games is not definetly haram because it is for enternaiment purpose only

[hashmaniac]

Salam,
First of all , do not say something is haram and there are no arguments.
In the past we didn't have Video games, and why we play video games,it just for fun, i think Illegal games are not haram !
why, because not all the people have MONEY to buy video games ! and video games aren't something Important in the life !

[Sumatran]

Salam,
First of all , do not say something is haram and there are no arguments.
In the past we didn't have Video games, and why we play video games,it just for fun, i think Illegal games are not haram !
why, because not all the people have MONEY to buy video games ! and video games aren't something Important in the life !

Yes, i agree with that argument. And then there's no fatwa about downloading and playing games without paying is haram.

And so we called that as Mubah.

[thulfiqaar]

Salam,
First of all , do not say something is haram and there are no arguments.
In the past we didn't have Video games, and why we play video games,it just for fun, i think Illegal games are not haram !
why, because not all the people have MONEY to buy video games ! and video games aren't something Important in the life !

Yes, i agree with that argument. And then there's no fatwa about downloading and playing games without paying is haram.

And so we called that as Mubah.

In the past there was no internet or guns or airplanes etc. For example, the Internet has plenty of useful things and islamic things but it has also got adultery content and plenty of other haram. Then how do you determine whether something is halal or haram? You do research using quran and hadeeth and plain common sense. People have spent their whole life studying these things and yes there are fatwa's that say it is haram. You just need to know where to look. I suggest google. I would give you direct links to fatwa's but because there are so many different types of islamic school of thoughts it's best that you research it yourself or ask your local imam.

I won't be surprised if there are imams out there that say it is makrooh or halal even but it is up to you to follow that advise or not.

[Sumatran]

Even people's thinking may different one another, so there's a choice to be Haram, Halal, Makruh, or Mubah.

[thulfiqaar]

Even people's thinking may different one another, so there's a choice to be Haram, Halal, Makruh, or Mubah.

I'm not entirely sure what you are saying, but if I understand it correctly, you are saying that you can choose because people differ in opinion? if that is what you are saying then no, absolutely not. To do so would be haram. You can't just pick and choose whatever you like. Islam doesn't work that way, there is a reason why something would be haram and you should always try to please Allah.

[Sumatran]

Even people's thinking may different one another, so there's a choice to be Haram, Halal, Makruh, or Mubah.

I'm not entirely sure what you are saying, but if I understand it correctly, you are saying that you can choose because people differ in opinion? if that is what you are saying then no, absolutely not. To do so would be haram. You can't just pick and choose whatever you like. Islam doesn't work that way, there is a reason why something would be haram and you should always try to please Allah.

Hmm.. i know we can't choose the options freely. But i'll try to understand it slowly.

[thulfiqaar]

Even people's thinking may different one another, so there's a choice to be Haram, Halal, Makruh, or Mubah.

I'm not entirely sure what you are saying, but if I understand it correctly, you are saying that you can choose because people differ in opinion? if that is what you are saying then no, absolutely not. To do so would be haram. You can't just pick and choose whatever you like. Islam doesn't work that way, there is a reason why something would be haram and you should always try to please Allah.

Hmm.. i know we can't choose the options freely. But i'll try to understand it slowly.

Correct answer

[Colonel Kebab]

Salam,
First of all , do not say something is haram and there are no arguments.
In the past we didn't have Video games, and why we play video games,it just for fun, i think Illegal games are not haram !
why, because not all the people have MONEY to buy video games ! and video games aren't something Important in the life !

Yes, i agree with that argument. And then there's no fatwa about downloading and playing games without paying is haram.

And so we called that as Mubah.

In the past there was no internet or guns or airplanes etc. For example, the Internet has plenty of useful things and islamic things but it has also got adultery content and plenty of other haram. Then how do you determine whether something is halal or haram? You do research using quran and hadeeth and plain common sense. People have spent their whole life studying these things and yes there are fatwa's that say it is haram. You just need to know where to look. I suggest google. I would give you direct links to fatwa's but because there are so many different types of islamic school of thoughts it's best that you research it yourself or ask your local imam.

I won't be surprised if there are imams out there that say it is makrooh or halal even but it is up to you to follow that advise or not.

Common sense and morality play a massive role in this. But you are right. Pirating games and illegally downloading games are obviously breaking the laws of the land. I don't see the point in doing it anyway, games are cheap nowadays and even cheaper if you get it through STEAM or supermarket sales.

At the end of the day especially for xbox console owners getting caught means having your console banned. So that's £150 down the drain.

[gengis]

@hashmaniac and @sumatran, correct me if i didnt understand you right? But do you mean that because there was no video games and no internet in rasullah's time (saw) that you cant say downloading games is haram?