"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."
[Al-Maidah 5:90]
Allah forbids His believing servants from consuming Khamr (intoxicants) and Maysir (gambling).
Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that 'Ali bin Abi Talib, the Leader of the Faithful, said that playing chess for money is a type of gambling. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that 'Ata', Mujahid and Tawus, or, two of them, said that every type of gambling, including children's playing with (a certain type of) nuts, is Maysir. Ibn 'Umar said that Al-Maysir means gambling, and this is the same statement that Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn 'Abbas, who added, "They used to gamble during the time of Jahiliyyah, until Islam came. Allah then forbade them from this evil behavior.''
Al-Ansab were altar stones, in whose vicinity sacrifices were offered (during the time of Jahiliyyah), according to Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, 'Ata', Sa'id bin Jubayr and Al-Hasan. They also said that Al-Azlam were arrows that they used for lotteries to make decisions, as Ibn Abi Hatim narrated.
Allah called these 'Rijs of Shataan's handiwork' meaning, abomination of Shaytan's handiwork. Sa'id bin Jubayr said that Rijs means 'sin' while Zayd bin Aslam said; "An evil handiwork of Shaytan.''
Allah ordered us to avoid all of these abominations if we want to be successful. This is a statement of encouragement.
Allah further stated Shaytaan's true intentions in the next verse.
"Shaytan wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with Khamr (intoxicants) and Maysir (gambling), and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from the Salah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain) This is a threat and a warning."
[Al-Maidah 5:91]
Hence the motive of Shaytaan to distract us from remembring Allah by indulging in these kinds of conceptions is clarified. Allah, while warning the believers in another location of Qur'an says,
"Surely Shaytaan is an enemy to you, so take him to yourself as an enemy. Surely he calls his party only that they may be among the companions of the Blaze."
[Al-Fatir 35:6]
Things we learnt:
> Intoxicants (Khamr), gambling (Maysib), stone altering (Ansab) and divine arrows (Azlam) are a way of Shaytaan to divert believers from rememberance of Allah.
> We must avoid Khamr, Maysib, Ansab and Azlam if we want to be successful. In a way, Allah tells that by removing every hindrance which opposes the rememberance of Allah must be avoided for us to be successful. This can also mean rememberance of Allah can make a person successful.
May Allah forgive and guide us.
Ameen.
Wama alayna illal balaghul mubeen.
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O You Who Believe
SpiritualIn the name of Allah, The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful. Here, we will discuss the number of times Allah has directly referred to the Believers in the Qur'an and the orders He has directly betided upon us.
