Are Mixed-Server Online Games Like Arsenal and Piggy Considered Free-Mixing?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question

I play Roblox games — Arsenal, a team shooting game, and Piggy, where you escape a map. The servers are mixed, but I do not chat with the non-mahrams there. Is this free-mixing?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate.

Thank you for your question. May Allah reward your concern to stay within the limits of what is pleasing to Him, even in your recreation.

Playing on a mixed server in this way is not, in itself, the unlawful free-mixing (ikhtilat) that the Sacred Law prohibits. Free-mixing, in its blameworthy sense, is needless private mingling between non-mahram men and women, such as unlawful looking, flirtatious or softened speech, or seclusion (khalwa). What you describe does not fall into any of these.

The Questions of Seclusion and Modesty in Online Spaces

A shared online server, where you do not chat with anyone and do not see images of identifiable people, is similar to walking through a market or along a road where both men and women are present. This kind of co-presence is not unlawful.

As senior SeekersGuidance faculty and a capable faqih, Shaykh Muhammad Fayez Awad notes that interaction for a legitimate reason is permitted so long as one maintains the etiquette of dress, speech, and conduct; what is forbidden is unrestricted mingling and seclusion.

The Hanafi books draw the same line: a public thoroughfare, such as a road or the mosque, is not the unlawful seclusion (khalwa) the Sacred Law warns of, precisely because people are always coming and going [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

So, simply being on a mixed server does not make playing Arsenal or Piggy free-mixing. You are already doing the right thing by not chatting with non-mahrams.

Cautions and Limits in Online Spaces: Your Gaze, Your Modesty, and Your Conduct

A few cautions will help you keep this within what pleases Allah. If voices or avatars of others appear, lower your gaze from anything you should not look at. This duty applies in the virtual world just as it does in the street. Avoid private messaging and any softened or flirtatious exchanges.

Also, consider how much time these games take, and whether their content is beneficial or harmful, especially in relation to your prayers, your studies, and your character. Allah Most High says, “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity; that is purer for them.” [Quran 24:30; Keller, The Quran Beheld] The same is said to believing women in the verse that follows.

Presence Is Not Mixing — but Guard the Heart

The line is not simply about sharing a space, but about private mingling, the unlawful look, or the flirtatious word. Keep doing what you already do: do not chat with non-mahrams, lower your gaze if anything comes up, and make sure your time is not taken from what matters most. A believer can move through a shared world with a guarded heart. Guarding your heart is itself an act of worship, and Allah rewards it.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

1. What Are the Appropriate Boundaries Between Men and Women? — Shaykh Muhammad Fayez Awad explains that interaction for legitimate reasons is permitted with proper etiquette, and that the prohibition falls on unrestricted mixing and seclusion.
2. Am I Allowed to Play Video Games With Permissible Content? — Shaykh Faraz Rabbani: Generally, yes, while staying mindful of the values some games normalize.
3. What Are the Benefits of Lowering the Gaze? — Shaykh Abdul Sami al-Yaqti, who notes that the duty to lower the gaze extends to the virtual world of websites and channels.
4. When Is It Obligatory to Lower One’s Gaze? — Shaykh Yusuf Weltch distinguishes the unintended glance, for which one is not accountable, from the deliberate look.
5. Is It Impermissible for Me to Work Even If I Observe Proper Limits? — Ustadha Zaynab Ansari Abdul-Razacq notes that mixed environments are not in themselves forbidden, and that the label “free mixing” is often stretched past its meaning.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.

Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.

In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.

Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.

Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School,” published by White Thread Press in 2004, which is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.

His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.