Fatwa ID: 02479

Answered by: Moulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Question:

Assalaamu 'Alaikum.

I'm a game developer, and i had a plan to sell my game. I've read you rfatwaa regarding computer game which one is halal and which one is haram. But i've still got questions about it.

My game is an Education Real Time Strategy games that teach and trains users in math, physics, chemistry, ecology, and business management. It contains problems to be solved on other to make the users understand the concept in science such as Calculus, mechanical engineering, etc.
In my game there will be some fictional places (levels) and units(building, trucks, train, heavy equipment), but the unit like building factory, farm, transportation, plantation will be imitating those what we saw in real life. There are no music, or living things like animals, human, fantasy creature in my project. I'm trying to avoid
any prohibited aspect from Islamic teaching in my project.

My Question is:
– Is this type of game permissible for me to sell? if not please give me advice to makes it halal.

– Is it permissible to sell Education games that contains fictional but based on reality places like arbitrary farm, city, lakes, ocean etc? Considering that the purpose is to train the user to calculate the solution of problems based on as much conditions possible.

– Can you give me concrete examples of what type of educational video games that is halaal for muslims developer to sell? For examples like Cities Skylines, Sudoku, Transport Tycoon, Railroad Tycoon. Those are examples of games that i think halal because it is educational, no music (or even if there is, the music can still be turned off), no living things creation like human, animal, fantasy creatures etc. But i still want to know your opinion.

– Is it considered helping other in sin when i sell my products to Steam, Amazon Appstore, Google PlayStore, Apple Appstore?

– Where can i get halal certification for my games? Can you providethe address or contact?

Jazak Allahu Khairan Kaseera.

Answer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحي

We can look at your query in two parts:

1 – The way in which they are played and the way in which they structured and made by the programmers.

2 – The way these games are used and the way people interact with them. 

From what you have stated above:

Yes it is permissible for you to sell those kinds of games. As far we can see the purpose of you selling these games is education and also earning the correct way and the Halal way.

Allah states in the Quran:

Eat of the good things and do good deeds- (Sural Al-Baqarah 2:168)

We can derive from the above that halal income and source is also a good deed.

The hadith is as follow:

It was narrated from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

'The best (most pure) food a man consumes is that which he has earned himself, and his child (and his child's wealth) is part of his earnings." (Ibn Majah)

Also, at the same time is permissible for you to sell your products to other organisations, as this is not a sin at all.

In regards to certification, unfortunately we don’t have any organisation or agencies name, but our fatwa that has been verified, checked and approved Insha’Allah should be sufficient as evidence.

Only Allah knows best.

Moulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham