Is darts haram?

No, darts is not haram. It's a game of aim and concentration, close in spirit to archery, which the Prophet ﷺ encouraged. What can make it a problem is the setting around it: betting on games, playing in a pub surrounded by alcohol, or letting it eat into prayer times.

A game of skill, not chance

Scholars draw a clear line between games of pure chance, like dice games, and games of skill. Skill games are allowed as long as they stay free of haram things. Darts is pure skill: the board doesn't decide anything, your hand and eye do. That puts it in the same family as chess for many scholars. See Is it haram to play chess?

Aiming at a target is also something Islam praised. The Prophet ﷺ passed by some men practising archery and said, "Shoot, children of Isma'il, for your father was an archer" (Sahih al-Bukhari 2899). Darts isn't archery, but it trains the same steady hand and focus. See Which sports did the Prophet Muhammad encourage?

The pub problem

In the UK especially, darts grew up in pubs, and leagues are often based in them. Alcohol is the main issue here, not the game:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا ٱلْخَمْرُ وَٱلْمَيْسِرُ وَٱلْأَنصَابُ وَٱلْأَزْلَـٰمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ فَٱجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ "O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful." Quran 5:90

Good alternatives are a board at home, a community centre or sports club league, a darts bar that serves food in an alcohol-free area, or a mosque youth night. See Can I go to a bar with friends if I only drink soda?

Playing "for a quid a game"

Small stakes are part of pub darts culture. If players put money in and the winner takes it, that is gambling, however small the amount. A trophy or prize money from an organiser who isn't collecting stakes from the players is fine for most scholars. See Is sports betting haram?

Watching darts on TV

Watching big tournaments is fine in itself. The crowds can be loud and boozy and the breaks full of betting adverts, so just don't let it pull you into either. And as with any hobby, keep an eye on the clock so it doesn't push a prayer out of its time.

Key points

Darts is a permissible game of skill.
Aim and focus echo the archery the Prophet encouraged.
Avoid playing where alcohol is the centre of the night.
Money staked between players is gambling.

Tip: A dartboard and a cabinet cost less than a few nights out. Put one up in the garage or spare room and invite friends round: you'll get more practice and no awkward moments at the bar.

Is darts haram?

A game of skill, not chance

The pub problem

Playing "for a quid a game"

Watching darts on TV

People also ask