Playing computer games which contain secondary elements of Shirk
10-10-2012 | IslamWeb
Question:
Assalaamu 'alaykum, is it allowed to play electronic games where the main storyline/goal of the game is admissible but in the game there are some secondary elements of kufr or shirk? For example, there is a football game where you should manage a football team. The main storyline/goal of the game is to win football cups and competitions, but in the game there are secondary components of kufr or shirk. For example if you win a appointed cup then there is "press release" in the game that the fans of your football team adore/idolize you because you have won the cup. Or another example is if you play another football game where during the game the commentator says about a player of a team "he is a soccer god" or the like. Or what's about if you play with or against a team which has a team emblem that contains christian signs like the cross or else? Are these games forbidden? Does it reach the level of kufr if you play such games? Jazaakum Allahu khayran.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, it should be noted that a Muslim should abide by the Islamic requirements for electronic computer games or any other games. We have already issued Fataawa 83778 and 86146 clarifying these Islamic requirements, so please refer to them.
Also, a Muslim should be keen on spending his time in what benefits him in this worldly life and in his religion.
As regards the games which you mentioned in the question, they include some evil matters, like the statement “The fans of your football team adore/idolize you because you have won the cup.”, or the statement “He is a soccer god"; while it is only Allaah Who is the God Who is worthy of worship and He has no partners or associates. In addition to this, the cross is a symbol of disbelief and it is a sign of a lie by the disbelievers in which they claim that the Messiah [i.e. ‘Eesa –Jesus 
] was crucified on it.
Therefore, how can it be permissible for a Muslim who believes in the Oneness of Allaah and that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah, to play games which include these evil matters? Hence, playing such games is not permissible. Nevertheless, a Muslim does not commit an act of Kufr [disbelief] just by playing such games.
Finally, we emphasize what we have mentioned at the beginning of this Fatwa that a Muslim should be keen on utilizing his time and spending it in what benefits him. No doubt, electronic games divert a person from that even if they do not include such evil matters. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86533.
Allaah Knows best.