Thanks for the replies guys.
Quote:
Even the stock market is a form of gambling, and thus forbidden.
Remember that poker is still gambling. It doesn't matter if you have a 51/49 edge, the element of chance is still there. Same thing if it's 99/1.
This, amongst many other informative posts, really got me thinking.
Where do you draw the line? For example, pre-marital relationships do not exist in Islam, because it can lead to haram, and is thus a sin.
It can lead to haram because girlfriend/boyfriend would be tempted to have sex before marriage, etc. But where do you draw the line?
What about going to a co-ed school? With both sexes. This was not around many years ago, but in the way society has developed today, it is becoming more and more impossible to avoid contact with the other sex (i'm not talking about sexual contact, i'm talking about everyday general contact such as talking, working, studying etc)
So where do you draw the line? For me I feel that poker has developed greatly in the recent past, and is increasingly becoming an intellectual pursuit. I can't even think about it in terms of gambling, because I approach it exactly in the same way I would approach chess when I studied it - Reading books, talking with other players, processing hands played etc etc in order to become more skilled at the game of cards.
Unlike other forms of gambling, where you are against the casino, you are wagering against other opponents on what is at the core a game of skill, mathematics and probability masked by a deck of cards, predetermined rules, and general etiquette. What makes this so different than other sport? In other sports you have other intervening features but at the core remains a game of skill in which people participate on the sporting field in order to compete.
There is no difference of opinion among the jurists that every sort of gambling is harmful, except betting for horse race and archery which have been declared lawful for persuading for horsemanship archery and preparation for Jihad.
So after thinking about both sides it just seems to be where you draw the line yourself, because people are going to be able to find merits from both sides. So where do you draw the line?
Since my conversion to Islam, I am very concerned about my poker playing, and am questioning my passion deeply. I'm anxious to know whether it is just a sin that I have fallen too, or infact it's a benefical addition to my life, and something I can continue pursuing without being sinful.
In the end only Allah can judge me, but I just want to do the right thing.
Sorry for the rants and a lot doesn't make sense, but important topic for me right now.
Any more thoughts?
P.S What I mean by drawing the line is that everything in life can lead to haram, so for example do you draw the line at girlfriends, school, talking to girls in general etc, same with gambling, do you draw line at gambling, poker/sports (which i believe many to be the same, amongst other general professions in life, completely up to interpretation of course), learning about sports/poker etc (which can lead to interest which can lead to playing etc so on so forth)... hope you guys get my point