بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Kitāb Al-Buyoo’ (Fiqh Al-Muyassar) Lesson 15 Notes (9 Sha’bān 1446 H - 8/2/25) Continuation... الباب السابع عشر: المسابقة The 17th Subchapter: Competitions This is an important topic in our time due to the prevalence of competitions and contests involving prize money/awards. In fact, they have become a means of profit and investment for some institutions and companies. المسألة الأولى: معناها وحكمها Its Definition and Ruling DEFINITION: المسابقة” من “السَّبْق” بإسكان الباء: وهو المسابقة والسِّباق (الفعل)، وبفتح الباء “السَّبَق”: العِوض الذي يُسابَق عليه. The term "Musābaqah" is derived from "sabq" with a sukoon on the letter bāʾ, which refers to racing and competing. When the bāʾ is pronounced with a fatḥah ("sabaq"), it refers to the prize/reward for which competitors compete. معناها: السَّبَقُ ما يتراهن عليه المتسابقون في الخيل، والإبل، وفي النضال، فمن سبق أخذه. Sabq refers to the prize/award placed by competitors in horse racing, camel racing, and archery, with the winner claiming the reward. والمسابقة هي المجاراة بين الحيوان وغيره Musābaqah refers to competitions involving animals and other means of transportation. والمناضلة والنضال: المسابقة بالرمي بالسهام ونحوها. Munāḍhalah and niḍhāl refers to competitions involving archery and similar activities. RULING Competitions are permissible, and this is the default, based on the Qur'ān, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus. Qur'ān Allāh says: ﴿وَأَعِدُّوا۟ لَهُم مَّا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُم مِّن قُوَّةࣲ﴾ "And prepare against them whatever you are able of power." [Al-Anfal: 60] Sunnah Ibn ’Umar (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported that: (أن النبي ﷺ سابق بين الخيل المُضَمَّرة من الحفياء إلى ثنية الوداع ، وبين التي لم تضمر من ثنية الوداع إلى مسجد بني زريق) The Prophet ﷺ organised horse races between trained horses from Al-Ḥafyā' to Thaniyyat Al-Wadā’, and between untrained horses from Thaniyyat Al-Wadā’ to Masjid Banu Zurayq. [Bukhari 2868, Muslim 1870] NOTE: Taḍhmīr Al-khayl (conditioning horses) refers to a process where the horse is initially fed generously until it gains weight, then put on a controlled diet to make it leaner and faster for racing or battle. The Prophet ﷺ also said: ((لا سَبَقَ إلا في خُف أَو نَصل أو حافر)) “There is no (valid) competition except in camels, arrows, or horses.” [Abu Dawood 2574, An-Nasa’i 3616, At-Tirmidhi 1700 – authenticated by Al-Albani in Al-Irwaʾ 5/333] والخف: البعير/refers to a camel والنضل: السهم ذو النضل refers to an arrow with a point والحافر: الفرس/refers to a horse CONSENSUS Muslim scholars unanimously agree on the permissibility of competitions in principle. ------------- المسألة الثانية: الأحكام المتعلقة بها Related Rulings 1. Competitions are allowed in horse racing, other riding animals, vehicles, foot races, archery, and the use of weapons. 2. It is permissible to place prizes on camel racing, horse racing, and archery, based on the ḥadīth: ((لا سبق إلا في خف أو نصل أو حافي)) “There is no (valid) competition except in camels, arrows, or horses.” 3. Anything that results in a legitimate benefit, such as training for jihad or studying religious knowledge, makes the competition permissible, and taking a prize for it is allowed. NOTE: Sheikh ibn Baz rahimahullah said: "Competitions in religious knowledge: If they involve money, then no. However, if they consist merely of a reward—such as giving a certain amount to someone who memorises a specific portion or granting a reward to someone who memorises one hundred hadiths—this is considered encouragement and assistance, not a competition." 4. Any activity intended for play and recreation, which does not cause harm and is permitted by Shari'ah, allows for competition, provided it does not distract from obligatory religious duties, such as prayer. However, this type of competition does not permit taking a prize.