Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (32/246)

He was also asked—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—about the meaning of the Prophet’s words, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Whoever plays backgammon is like someone who dips his hand into the flesh and blood of a pig.”

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. The statement:

“Whoever plays backgammon is like someone who dips his hand into the flesh and blood of a pig”

is an authentic hadith recorded by Muslim and others. Playing backgammon is forbidden according to the vast majority of scholars, even without stakes; playing it for stakes is forbidden by consensus.

He was also asked—may Allah have mercy on him—about playing with pigeons.

He replied:

Playing with pigeons is prohibited. The Sunan collections report that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw a man following a pigeon and said:

“A devil following a she-devil.”

Anyone who plays with pigeons and looks into people’s private quarters, or throws stones that land on his neighbours, must receive a disciplinary punishment that deters him from doing so, and must be prevented from continuing. Such conduct involves wrongdoing and aggression against neighbours, in addition to the prohibited pastime itself. And Allah knows best.

وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: عَنْ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ {مَنْ لَعِبَ بِالنَّرْدَشِيرِ فَهُوَ كَمَنْ غَمَسَ يَدَهُ فِي لَحْمِ خِنْزِيرِ وَدَمِهِ} ؟ فَأَجَابَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ: {مَنْ لَعِبَ بِالنَّرْدَشِيرِ فَهُوَ كَمَنْ غَمَسَ يَدَهُ فِي لَحْمِ خِنْزِيرِ وَدَمِهِ} فَهُوَ حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ وَغَيْرُهُ. وَاللَّعِبُ بِالنَّرْدِ حَرَامٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِعِوَضِ عِنْدَ جَمَاهِيرِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَبِالْعِوَضِ حَرَامٌ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ. وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ اللَّعِبِ بِالْحَمَامِ؟ فَأَجَابَ: اللَّعِبُ بِالْحَمَامِ مَنْهِيٌّ عَنْهُ وَفِي السُّنَنِ {عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ رَأَى رَجُلًا يَتْبَعُ حَمَامَةً فَقَالَ: شَيْطَانٌ يَتْبَعُ شَيْطَانَةً} . وَمَنْ لَعِبَ بِالْحَمَامِ فَأَشْرَفَ عَلَى حَرِيمِ النَّاسِ أَوْ رَمَاهُمْ بِالْحِجَارَةِ فَوَقَعَتْ عَلَى الْجِيرَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يُعَزَّرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ تَعْزِيرًا يَرْدَعُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَيُمْنَعُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّ هَذَا فِيهِ ظُلْمٌ وَعُدْوَانٌ عَلَى الْجِيرَانِ؛ مَعَ مَا فِيهِ مِنْ اللَّعِبِ الْمَنْهِيِّ عَنْهُ. وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.