Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Trilib 505
7. Playing with dice and playing chess
Playing with dice is hark, according to Amir al-Mu'mineen
'Ali (&), ,. who said: "Playing with two burning coals is dearer to me
than playing with two dice."173 He would not greet people who were
playing with dice.'74 The evidence for this prohibition is the words of
the Messenger of AUah (g): -, "Whoever plays with dice, it is as if he
were dipping his hand in the flesh and blood of a pig."175
Chess is also harim according to 'Ali (&), as was narrated
from him by Ibn ~ udbah.'~~ He used to say concerning chess: "It is
the gambling of the non-Arab~."'~~ According to another report: "It
is a kind of gambling." 17' It was narrated that Maysarab ibn Habeeb
said: " 'Ali ibn Abi ?[2lib (&) passed by some people who were
playing chess and said: 'What are these images to which you are (so
assiduously) devoted?'79 Holding a coal until it goes out is better for
him than touching these.""80 It was narrated that 'Ammir ibn Abi
'Ammir said: " 'Ali (&) passed by a group of (the tribe) Taym-
Allah who were playing chess. He stood over them and said: 'Allah
created you for something other than this. By Allah, were it not that it
would set a precedent, I would hit your faces with it."'181 The
evidence for this prohibition is that it is gambling, which is harh
according to the Qur'an and by analogy.182
8. Temporary (or fixed-term) marriage
Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (4) said: Ramadan abrogated all
other fasts, and temporary marriage was abrogated by divorce, 'iddah
and inheritan~e."~ 'Ali's evidence for that was the report that he
narrated from the Prophet (g), that he forbade temporary marriage
and the flesh of domestic donkeys at the time of ~ha~bar."~
9. Marriage without a guardian
It was narrated from Abu Qays al-Awdi that 'Ali (&) used to
say: "If she gets married without the permission of a guardian, then