The Pokemon Go game is currently endemic, craze and increasingly popular with netizens throughout Indonesia and the world. A question was asked to our editor, "Is playing Pokemon Go Game according to Islam, halal or haram?"

As an introduction, Pokemon Go is an augmented-reality-based game developed by the Pokemon Company in collaboration with Niantic and Nintendo. How to play, someone uses a smartphone, both Android and iOS to hunt Pokemon monsters.

With Android or iOS smartphone devices, users can hunt Pokemon monsters in the real world, for example in rivers, mountains, streets, offices, markets, supermarkets, lakes, and other places. So, Pokemon monsters seem to exist and hide in the real world that can be seen through your cellphone screen.

Users are also busy hunting Pokemon monsters around them. In fact, some of them deliberately venture here and there to places where there are Pokemon monsters, such as Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and so on.

game pokemon go according to islam

Suddenly, many children, teenagers and adults are addicted to the Pokemon Go game to the point of pacing, busy playing hunting monsters. In fact, there are journalists on the sidelines of their coverage, hunting Pokemon monsters before waiting for sources.

Pokemon Go game according to Islam
To answer this question, the editor of Islamcendekia.com held a study and limited discussion. From the results of this study, we state that the Pokemon Go game can be legal/permissible or illegal/prohibited. Here's the explanation.

Sunni scholars agree that the main sources of Islamic law are the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Hadith of the Prophet). Meanwhile, the sources of law that are still being debated by scholars include ijma, qiyas, ijtihad, istihsan, urf, maslahah mursalah, and so on.

Pokemon Go game is clearly not regulated in the Quran and Hadith. That way, we use the maslahah mursalah basis in answering the question of whether the game is haram or halal.
From the aspect of its application, it is clear that the law was initially allowed. However, when the game appears harmful, has a bad impact on someone, then the law becomes haram or not allowed. In this context, for example, forgetting the obligation to pray because they are busy hunting Pokemon monsters or being lazy to work, decreased work productivity, children are reluctant to study, and so on.

Because, too busy playing Pokemon Go Game that makes a waste of time, even interfere with the concentration of learning and development of children, is part of the devil. So, it is not wrong when an Ulema Council in Egypt forbids the game.

As quoted from the Mirror, Deputy Head of Al Azhar Egypt, Abbas Shuman likened the Pokemon Go game to alcohol which is prohibited in Islam. Because, monster hunting activities are considered like drunk people on the streets.

People become on the streets with their eyes glued to their cellphone screens looking for locations where imaginary Pokemon monsters are. They are also busy capturing something imaginary or imaginary.

In fact, some people even neglect work to find imaginary monsters in the world of cellphone screens. Meanwhile, he left work to earn a living that could support him.

Or for example, students, students, or college students, suddenly turn on their smartphones, then hunt monsters and forget their study assignments. If the condition is so severe, then the law in Islam is haram.

The analysis carried out by the Deputy Head of Al Azhar Egypt, Abbas Shuman, is quite good. That is, Abbas uses the qiyas method in analyzing a problem. The game Pokemon Go is likened to alcohol which is forbidden in Islam.

This is called qiyas, which is establishing the law of a new case that has not been regulated in the Qur'an or hadith, but there are similarities in terms of causes, benefits, dangers, and various other aspects. When mixed with alcohol, with the same effect when drinking intoxicating alcohol, it can be concluded that the Pokemon Go game is haram.

It's different when the existence of the Pokemon Go game actually makes people happy and happy, still doesn't leave praying, working and studying as usual, then free time is used to play Pokemon with the intention and purpose of refreshing. So in this case it is permissible or halal.

That is, if the existence of the Pokemon Go game, which is currently flooded with many fans, turns out to be beneficial and good for the mind-health, because there are games that are refreshing and fun, then in the name of benefit, this game is halal.

Or, the existence of Pokemon Go will provide skills, skills, and has the benefit of sharpening the right brain, so the law is okay. Thus, this conclusion can be drawn.

The law of origin of the Pokemon Go game application according to Islam is permissible, because it is not regulated in the Shari'a, both in the Qur'an and hadith. If it turns out that the impact invites harm, is destructive, and brings bad consequences for users, then playing Pokemon Go is haram/forbidden.

This is the answer from the editor of Islamcendekia.com related to questions from readers about playing the Pokemon Go Game according to Islam, halal or haram. Spread this news for our common good, for the future of the nation's children! May be useful.