The Grand Mufti was responding to a question on a TV show, when he said chess was not allowed in Islam. The interview happened a couple of years ago in fact, but has managed to make the headlines only now, perhaps because there is a chess tournament being held in Mecca. The Mufti had said, “It causes enmity and hatred between people.”
The Saudi Chess Association sought to clear the air and sent a letter to the World Chess Federation. Clarifying that any sport could be potentially illegal as per Islam if they involved gambling, betting, keeping people away from religious practice and inciting hatred, the association enumerated a few of their initiatives in promoting chess among their fellow countrymen. “Many local events and seminars are being organized and run as scheduled in all the cities of the Kingdom with an increasing number of participants from all ages. […] Moreover, the Saudi Chess Association is currently in the last stages of implementing the Chess in Schools program aiming to widen the grass-roots in exploring local chess talents,” the letter signed by Yaser Al Otaibi, general Secretary of the association, declared.
Despite the Mufti’s statements, chess is in healthy shape in the country, as it is in much of the Middle East and Arabia. The long history of the game ensures it has many supporters, and it even finds mention in some of the oldest religious works of Islam. Some of the best chess players in the twentieth century have also been Muslims, such as Mir Sultan Khan.
The Saudi Chess Association is part of the Saudi Olympic Committee and also the World Chess federation, and the Asian and Arab Chess Federation. Members of the association also take part in Chess Olympiads and numerous regional and international championships.
