Who holds that it is makruh (disliked)?

Shafi'i: Permitted but disliked, provided there is no gambling and it does not delay prayer.

Who holds that it is haram?

Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali: Prohibited by the majority of scholars in these schools.

Is chess halal?

Scholars differ. The classical schools differ on chess even without gambling.

Scholars differ · Everyday life · From the Halal or Not? rulebook, checked 28 September 2026

The views, and who holds them

Held by	Verdict	Reasoning
Shafi'i	Makruh (disliked)	Permitted but disliked, provided there is no gambling and it does not delay prayer.
Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali	Haram	Prohibited by the majority of scholars in these schools.

Worth knowing

Many contemporary scholars permit it as a game of skill under the same conditions.

Quick answers

Is chess halal?: Scholars differ. The classical schools differ on chess even without gambling.
Who holds that it is makruh (disliked)?: Shafi'i: Permitted but disliked, provided there is no gambling and it does not delay prayer.
Who holds that it is haram?: Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali: Prohibited by the majority of scholars in these schools.

Sources

Halal or Not? rulebook topic “Chess”, live answer (checked 28 September 2026)
Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali

Information, not a fatwa. Where scholars differ, this shows the main views so you can follow the one you already follow or ask a scholar you trust.

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