Podcast
Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
In the previous two episodes, we have discussed what is allowed and prohibited in food and drink. This episode will continue discussing the prohibited thing. We will continue to discuss two Ayat related to gambling and superstition from the previous episode, those are among the important Ayat, because it’s related to justice and the basic of believing oneness of God.
(2:219) They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is great sin and [yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.”
(5:90) O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
1400 years ago, Arab liked gambling very much. They like to use featherless arrows to gamble. Even when they distributed stuff, they used the same method. For example, ten people paid to buy a goat, then separated it into 30 shares. The arrow head will have different shares mentioned there, a designated person will do the draw, then gave the arrow to everyone. The person will take their shares based on what is written on the arrow. They usually played this kind of game in front of the idol Hubal in Kabah.
Imagine, 10 people share the price for one goat, separated into 30 shares equally. Under normal condition, everyone can get 3 shares in average. But due to greediness, people want to have a bet, same price, why not try to get more than 3 shares of meat. If the result is not what one wish, cannot get any share, or less than 3 share, then will give some self-comfort words, like one willing to bet, then should willing to take the loss too. Or just pretend the money lost somewhere, or one just pay little more to get the meat, etc.
Oppositely, if a person get more than 3 shares, they are always in small quantity, so now think, take extra shares that initially not belong to you, is it correct? Everyone contributed the same, but still there are people willingly to bet for more, no matter it’s win or loss, is it real fair?
Many people listening till here will think, if a person cannot lose, then should not get into the bet, since it’s all willingness.
Have you ever thought, the win actually is a motivation, an encouragement, to make a person keep on repeating to bet.
The person who lost, see other’s win, always hope he can win also one day like the winning person, so the bet continue.
The bystanders see the person win, thinking they might also be the next lucky person, so they get into the bet next time.
The contribution might be very little every time. If win, then happy. If loss, no pity and think just a cup of coffee price. But small amount accumulate will become big, how many really understand this?
Besides the arrow, they have different styles of gambling too, for example with sand, stones, and horses too.
Because they like to use arrows as one of the common gambling ways, so that they used to keep three arrows in front of idols or temple. One arrow written ‘no’, one written ‘yes’, and one is blank.
If anyone want to sort some answer for question, then they will draw the arrow from there. If it’s a yes, they will continue. If it’s a no, they will give up the plan. If it’s blank, then they will keep on drawing until getting a yes or no.
When Prophet (pbuh) was alive, whenever he made a decision, he would think deeply. Many times, he will discuss with his wives or companions, listened to their opinion, then made the final decision. He never draw arrows to decide to do or not to do. Even his decision or action might be wrong, but this is another way to present the guidance to people. To draw arrows is kind of taking chance action, one cannot say this is the inspiration or answers from God; otherwise, it will become inventing lies with the name of God.
Instead, Allah want people to use the mind to think, to decide, to choose, to action, then leave the result to Allah. No matter what the outcome, then this is fate. But when we do not use our eyes to observe, do not use our brain to think and to decide, based on the draw to decide fate, no matter what the outcome, it only led the person to forget how to take responsibility, it will led the person always complain the god and people around, and forget how to think and analysis objectively.
It’s generally known that Chinese love gambling, it’s similar like the Arab 1400 years ago, whatever one can imagine, then can gamble on it. In Chinese history, due to gambling, families fell from grace, forced their own girls to sell their body, sell house, sell land, sell sons, sell daughters, sell wives, the family broken into pieces, all these stories have a lot and in common.
Therefore, the whole China, only the ex-colony Macau has the licensed casino, the size and number of casinos can be equally compared with Las Vegas.
According to the statistic, the whole North America has over 460 licensed casinos, and South America has over 450 licensed casinos. Asia comprised of around 48 countries, almost every country has minimum 1 licensed casinos, Africa continent has approx. 293 licensed casinos, the smallest size Europe has at least 1000 licensed casinos, including many muslim countries too.
Besides casinos, there are also lotto, horse racing, ball games betting, etc activities and many underground casinos. Due to the vast economic benefits, it makes many governments want to take over all of them and control all the gambling business. Besides governments, also attract many side businesses, e.g. prostitution, drug dealing, money laundary, underground bank, etc.
Due to all these side businesses, it naturally attracted many different kinds of criminal activities, like economic crime, fraudulent, corruption, women got cheated and sold to different countries for prostitution, murder, robbery; being beaten, kipnapped, and forced prostitution due to borrow money from loan sharks, etc. Needless to say, all these are prohibited under Islamic rules.
And according to many gambling psychologists pointed out that, no matter win or lose, many people actually enjoy to chase after that uncertain feeling, especially when a group of people, at the same time, expecting to see the result coming with lots of cheering.
Therefore, even if it’s a lost, people still enjoy that moment of ‘high’, slowly reinforcing the risk-taking behavior. This is the main reason people develop addiction, similar like drugs, will start to depend on this gambling ‘high’. After some time, even when one is losing, even one has to lose all he has, even one knows he has to stop, but simply he cannot stop, he cannot control himself for this unconscious addiction.
Also, the majority people who like gambling, besides chasing after that excitement, also will become greedy that led to luck/chance mindset, hope to be rich without working, hope to earn big with little money. Naturally, people become superstitious.
For example, people believe to see a bald person or someone pat your shoulder while gambling time will make a person lose money. Eyebrow jump predicts good or bad luck. Wearing certain color of clothing can fend off evils and bad luck. Do not touch or say anything with pronunciation similar as “lost”. Many people start to ask gods, check luck, watch constellations, see the luck of the year, keep ghosts to work, worship money god, 4-faced buddha, worship any statue that can bring money, or hang different kinds of decoration pieces, etc.
However, Islam believe in one God, believe in Allah alone created, guarding, providing all creations. Therefore, it’s prohibited to ask any idols or dead people. It’s prohibited to believe in any items, any color, any action, any hanging decoration, or any certain furniture settings, that can affect luck or give protection. Because
(6:81) you do not fear that you have associated with Allah that for which He has not sent down to you any authority?(16:116) Indeed, those who invent falsehood about Allah will not succeed.
Even those decorative piece or picture have Quran Ayat on it, it’s ok to treat as decoration, but if one wears this kind of ornament, or hanging in the car, on the wall, on the door, and believe it will bring power to people or it will protect people, then it’s also prohibited.
(11:18) And who is more unjust than he who invents a lie about Allah? Those will be presented before their Lord, and the witnesses will say, “These are the ones who lied against their Lord.” Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.
Because Allah’s power does not need any media or objects to experience. Instead, we need to pray directly to Allah, read and understand the Quran Ayat, then will really get Allah’s guidance and protection.
If people just delusion to earn without work, or argue this is the fate, mixed the fate with chance/luck, then it is only self-deceiving.
(6:93) And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, “It has been inspired to me,” while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, “I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed.”
In summary, when people only care about their own benefits, many times, will ignore or pretend not seeing those are being treated unjustly and being oppressed due to the gambling. Meanwhile, gambling, idol-worshipping, drawing arrows, only make people to become greediness, develop luck/chance mindset, to be superstition, seriously associating Allah with others, this is the first and most important prohibition in Islam, because Quran (4:48) mentioned: Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.
One should clearly know that (6:17-18) And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good – then He is over all things competent. And He is the subjugator over His servants.
Therefore, not because of anyone, any thing, stars, moon, idols, clothing, color or ornament, that brings good luck or bad luck, it’s because (4:79) What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, is from yourself.
When people build their own happiness based on others’ sufferings, or simply ignore many victims or pretend not seeing them. No one can certain that maybe one day, oneself, or family members, or people you love might fall into victimhood too.
(42:30) And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned;
(39:52-53) Do they not know that Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]? Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe. Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”
Next episode will continue discussing. Thanks for listening.