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What is the ruling on someone who kills a person in sports competitions such as boxing and karate in Islam, and is this considered accidental killing or intentional killing?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Islam permits that which is beneficial and useful, and forbids that which is harmful and barren. The ruling on sports and recreational games varies according to their type and benefit, their consequences, and their purpose. So, whatever is beneficial and useful, does not distract from an obligation, does not cause religious or worldly harm, and does not contain anything forbidden, then it is permissible to learn and practice it. As for boxing, it has no benefit, entails health harms, and may lead to death; therefore, participation in its matches is not permissible. As for karate, it is for self-defense, and there is no danger in practicing it. Participation in its matches is permissible with its Shariah-compliant controls, and one can intend by it to prepare oneself for jihad in the way of Allah. If one player kills another, then if he intended to kill and insisted on it, and struck in a place that usually causes death, it is intentional murder, and Qisas (retribution) is obligatory. If he intended to kill but did not strike in a place that usually causes death, it is akin to intentional murder, and severe blood money (Diyyah Mughallathah) and expiation (Kaffarah) are required. If he did not intend to kill, and his action usually leads to death, then it is akin to intentional murder. But if his action does not usually lead to death, it is accidental killing, and blood money (Diyyah) and expiation (Kaffarah) are required.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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