Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
There are considerations that provide us with significant reasons to consider professional boxing either totally haram, or, at the very least, strongly makruh to such an extent that a Muslim should neither practice nor condone this “sport” in any sense.
In responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
Islam’s position on sports and games is determined by weighing and comparing all relevant benefits and disadvantages. If there are tangible benefits in a sport or game, then it is deemed to be permissible, or even recommended. If, however, there is more harm than benefit to be accrued from a sport, then such as sport may very well be considered forbidden.
Also, while comparing benefits and disadvantages, the Shari`ah lays greater emphasis on the removal of any perceived harm over any presumable benefits.
Wrestling, during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), involved using physical fitness and skill to overcome an opponent; such skills were, and are, quite desirable, or even essential, for the purpose of self-defense. Also, training to fine tune or build muscles is encouraged. Wrestling falls under this category.
Professional boxing, as practiced today, is altogether different. First of all, it is rooted in a tradition completely repugnant to Islamic norms and, therefore, repulsive and unacceptable.
Its analogy is not with wrestling, which is permitted because of its physical benefits; but it is rather more analogous with abhorrent games and pastimes such as bull fighting and cockfighting, which are condemned by Islam.
Professional boxing dates back to the American slave trade. At that time, slave masters would pit their largest slaves against one another in bare-knuckled fights to near-death and place wagers on the outcomes.
Clearly, the only “benefit” that was derived from slave fighting was the perverse satiation of the slave masters’ carnal pleasures.
Ultimately, boxing is based on the sadistic notion of deriving pleasure in viewing the suffering of fellow creatures.
Further, as practiced today, boxing involves administering punches to an opponent’s head and torso, which, as widely documented, exposes fighters to all kinds of potentially disabling and fatal injuries from which there is no recovery.
Proof of this can be seen in the health conditions of most of yesterday’s boxing champions, not to mention the losers. When we take into account such sound evidences, there should be little doubt in the minds of Muslims that this “sport” falls under the category of causing and inflicting injury on oneself as well as others.
The Prophet’s dictum: “There shall be no toleration of either receiving or inflicting of harm” should be kept in mind in this context. Furthermore, Allah says in the Qur’an, “Do not lead yourselves to self-destruction.” (Al-Baqarah 2:195)
Ultimately, the above considerations provide us with significant reasons to consider professional boxing either totally forbidden (haram), or, at the very least, strongly undesirable (makruh) to such an extent that a Muslim should neither practice nor condone this “sport” in any sense.
Read also:
Are Muslims Permitted to Participate in Competitive Karate?
What Does Islam Say on Risky Sports?
Is It Haram to Wear Shorts for Sports?
Almighty Allah knows best.
Source: AsktheScholar.com