Fatwa: # 18687
Category: Misc. Fiqh
Country: United Kingdom
Date: 24th May 2010

Title

Is it haraam to become a professional wrestler?

Question

Is it haraam to become a professional wrestler?

this is not a joke! it's something serious iv'e been thinking about for a long period of time now! i'm muslim, pray 5 times a day and read the qu'ran at least once or twice a week which is good for me because my schedule in life is very busy! so could you please let me know, i dont want to go on in life doing something wrong! thank you for your time!

Answer

 

In the name of Allāh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful


Assalāmu ῾alaykum wa Rahmatullāhi Wabarakātuh

 

In principle, wrestling is a Mubāh (permitted) act. It was common amongst the Sahabah (radiyallahu anhum) to wrestle with one another.

On the occasion of Uhud, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) turned back many youngsters from participating. It was mentioned that Rafi’ ibn Khadeej (Radiyallahu anhu) was a good archer, hence, he was permitted to join the army. Another young Sahābi by the name of Samurah bin Jundub said “if I wrestle Rāfi’, I will overthrow him”. They both wrestled and Samurah overthrew Rāfi’. The both were then permitted to join the army.

However, due to wrestling being an entertainment and commercialized, there are multiple un-Islamic factors prevalent in such gatherings, e.g. a) Music, b) exposing of the Satar, c) intermingling of sexes and d) people being unmindful of Salaah etc. Due to the predominance of these and other un-Islamic factors, it will be impermissible for a Muslim to undertake such a profession.

And Allāh Ta῾āla knows best

Wassalāmu ῾alaykum

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Dārul Iftā

DISCLAIMER - AskImam.org questions
AskImam.org answers issues pertaining to Shar'ah. Thereafter, these questions and answers are placed for public view on www.askimam.org for educational purposes. However, many of these answers are unique to a particular scenario and cannot be taken as a basis to establish a ruling in another situation or another environment. Askimam.org bears no responsibility with regards to these questions being used out of their intended context.
  • The Shar's ruling herein given is based specifically on the question posed and should be read in conjunction with the question.
  • AskImam.org bears no responsibility to any party who may or may not act on this answer and is being hereby exempted from loss or damage howsoever caused.
  • This answer may not be used as evidence in any Court of Law without prior written consent of AskImam.org.
  • Any or all links provided in our emails, answers and articles are restricted to the specific material being cited. Such referencing should not be taken as an endorsement of other contents of that website.
The Messenger of Allah said, "When Allah wishes good for someone, He bestows upon him the understanding of Deen."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]