There is virtually no one person that in these modern times, has not played any video game – tablets and smartphones are now available to kids that are barely walking, and all of them are playing some games.
It is something that occupies their minds, and it is one of the most popular ways they are spending their time, and here we would not speak of the fact that spending too much time playing games, cannot be healthy and that many other ways are healthier for kids and teenagers.
But, also we must add that there are people, kids, and teenagers that are making a lot of money from playing video games, and this now becomes a standard occupation in a younger crowd.
No one can deny that this is an industry that is worth billions.
Now, one big piece of cake here takes one of the most popular video games in the world, if not the most popular is Fortnite.
This is one of the most popular video games in the world, with an estimated 250 million people playing the game, and this is the number that just raises more and more.
Fortnite is the type of game that is played online and starts with 100 people finding themselves on a desert island – they have to find weapons and eliminate other players.
Simple task, but the game has an amazing premise all against all, and everyone plays against everyone.
It is about the popular Battle Royal mode, which has become popular in recent years precisely with the Fortnite game – along with PUBG and Apex Legends.
By the way, the term Battle Royal became world famous after the Japanese film Battle Royal in 2000, in which students of a high school class fight to the death.
Interestingly, Fortnite can be played on almost every platform from personal computers and mac, through consoles such as Xbox and PlayStation, and even Nintendo to mobile or android devices.
This is why this game is much played in the entire world, and we all know that during the year there are serious tournaments dedicated to players, with a major prize.
Kids and teenagers are trying for months on end to prepare for it, and try to win a prize.
Now, people of the Muslim religion whose lives are directed by Islamic laws, must fall under these millions of people who are playing this game, but is it allowed for them to play this game?
Let us take a look.
Is Fortnite Haram or Halal In Islam?
Here, a lot has to do with what is said in the game itself and is it something that the Islamic religion does not approve of?
Many Islamic teachers are saying that all games are bad and that all people of this religion should give them up.
It is said that playing video games is sometimes clearly prohibited due to the content of the games themselves (depicting naked women and prostitution scenes such as those found in the game GTA), and even though this is not the case in most games, there remains a clear prohibition of playing them due to the addiction they create in people.
So playing Fortnite then is also haram, as it has many immoral things that are a part of this game.
As some Islamic teachers have said, it is sinful to trade such activities as reading the Book of Allah and playing this game, spending hours in front of the screen, and leading this other life, this is very deceiving and shows dependence.
It is said that parents are those who should be blamed for this – and that they must try not to allow their kids to get involved in it, as it will develop a dependence on them.
And if you say that it is not easy for you to leave them (stop playing), you only further prove your addiction and their damage.
What does the Islamic religion says to those who are making money in this way – it is also very much sinful, and seen as haram.
What is recommended for all of them is reading Islamic books and the fact is that games could never substitute for reading.
Islamic faith sees as problematic not only the content of video games, Fortnite included, among them, but also sees problematic what the video games do to the most commonly young mind.
Muslim parents and their teenage kids should buy them something useful to them, that is halal and much better and more useful than wasting money on video games, which intoxicate the brain, and make the spine bend, lose sight, create addiction, a man becomes lazy.
Then, subsequently, all other Islamic duties are neglected and the life of a Muslim believer is never the same, and it is a presentation of a very bad image to people, and their own families and children.
When is playing games halal?
Now, the question that naturally arises is this – is there any scenario when playing games is allowed?
By some it could be this – playing electronic war and non-war games is permissible, provided that it does not lead to wajib performance (such as prayer, obtaining provisions for those he is obliged to support, etc.)
When something is, according to the Islamic religion wajib then breaking it would be instantly seen as a sin.
Anything that the player does in the game itself, must not, by all means, lead to any haram, there cannot be any swearing, any curses, not in any way, anything that could lead to haram is not allowed.
And we all know that when we play games, and Fortnite also, not cursing is truly hard – not insulting those with whom the game, ugly and lewd speech, and the like.
It is very hard to resist, and based on the Islamic faith – this is seen as a major sin.
More about Fortnite
Fortnite is one of the most (if not one of the most popular online games in the entire world).
The company that created this game is the well-known publishing house “Epic Games”, the same house that designed the surreal machine for creating video games (Unreal Engine – UE).
Unreal Engine has been proclaimed the world’s most prosperous gaming machine by Guinness World Records.
Fortnite is a type of first-person shooter known as Battle Royale (BR), but although it is the most well-known, it is not the only game mode.
There are many game modes, and this is partially the attraction of this game – and there is a sentence that says “save the world” mode first.
This is what the company itself charges around 15 dollars, and if you play this game with some other players the entire atmosphere is related to survival as it plays out in some kind of post-apocalyptic surroundings.
This mod was the initial Fortnite mod but was soon overtaken by the free BR mod.
Only this mode is currently played by over 30 million people when all platforms for playing are combined.
Also here you play against all and the main goal in the game is to survive and to be the last one standing – and here comes the interesting part, or, as some religions, the Islamic one the most see as the problem is the behavior inside of the game.
Your task is to eliminate others, will all possible equipment, weapons, and resources.
At your disposal there are vehicles to escape from the toxic storm that is rapidly extending across the map, narrowing the “safe” space where one can breathe freely… until the enemy who is there doesn’t “cut your head off” before, of course.
This fight until the last one standing is not what is approved by the Islamic faith – the idea in Fortnite is to enhance in any way your chance to outwit rivals, but here there is a part where you must cooperate with others so that you stay alive as long as you can.
There is one more interesting mode for players of Fortnite and it is called
Save the World.
In these very popular modes players are joined and they united are fighting against a computer-controlled planet that has been hit by an apocalyptic contaminated storm.
There is only 2 percent of people are now alive.
There is a need to take care of yourself, survive, and avoid this toxic storm while you are being attacked around the clock.
It is a very complex game, that has a lot going on, and in this sense, it could be seen as an interesting game that can develop many traits in us, how to survive, how to manage, and become more resourceful in the world.
But on the other hand, this also means that you can do things that are not, to say at least, nice, to lie, to kill, and to scheme against others, and this is not halal according to Islamic tradition.
So, it is no wonder why this is not permitted to play based on Islamic laws.
Conclusion
So, we could see, that video games, and this is truly more when we know that the majority of them are played by younger people who are advised to spend this time in some other, more appropriate manner, are not halal based on the Islamic tradition.
Video games in themselves are seen according to Islamic teachers are very much useless and it is seen as a perfectly good way to waste time and effort to play, especially when younger people play too much and there is a chance to create a severe addiction, and there is no need to say how this is something that is a major sin according to the Muslim law.
Also, and this is relevant to say – if the content of any video game, and this is true for the herefore mentioned game Fortnite, in any way, shape, or form, hurts the child’s psychophysical development, then they should especially be evaded.
Here we want to remind you of the wise words of Almighty Allah who have said to his Prophets that the true believer cannot ever bring himself to ruin.
And, in some ways, this is verified by some research that is conducted during years where there is a clear negative impact of video games on the psychophysical development of children.
Games that promote violence are especially harmful, and this is a fact. It is advised that all, parents, in particular, should do anything they can to protect their children.
People of the Muslim faith must not ever think that playing such games, which are all about war – they are not good.
Also, it is said that in playing these games there is nothing useful for people of the Muslim faith.
And it is not all about kids, it is also a matter that is related to grown-ups – and this matter arises, is it appropriate for a Muslim, as a mature adult and intelligent person, to spend most of his free time on games like Fortnite?
A true Muslim believer should have many other things on his mind that are more useful and therefore worth mentioning, like learning, reading, and memorizing the Quran.
In it, people are called to resist all evil, and this is something that all people of the Islamic faith must dedicate their time to, old an young alike.
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