What is the Ruling of Marrying Someone Who Wants to Become a Professional Boxer?

Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel

Question

I am considering marrying someone who wants to become a professional boxer.

What is the ruling on earning income from professional boxing, and what is the ruling on a wife being financially supported by that income?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

Boxing, as practiced, is Islamically impermissible, so pursuing it as a profession is likewise impermissible. Therefore, the income earned from it is likewise impermissible.

Engaging in modern boxing is impermissible. It aims to knock out opponents by striking the head or face, which are sensitive areas, with force.

Islam forbids hitting the face, even in justified circumstances, as mentioned in the hadiths.

Allah Most High says: “And make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction.” [Quran, 2: 195]

Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “If somebody fights (due to a lawful reason), then he should avoid the face.” [Bukhari]

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “An individual should not harm others or be harmed by others in return.” [Hakim, Mustadrak al-Hakim]

Abdullah ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reports, in a long hadith…’ when Allah prohibits something, He prohibits its price.’ [Dar al-Qutni,Ahmad,Ibn Hibban]

Legal Maxim: “The Subsidiary Follows the Principal” (Al-tabi tabi)

The jurists derive from this that the ruling on earnings follows that of the underlying activity.

Since professional boxing involves intentional face strikes and can cause serious harm, the money earned from participating is considered a secondary issue, depending on its source. As a result, earnings directly from boxing are also not permitted.

[Ibn Nujaym, al-Ashbah wa al-Naza’ir]

Can a Wife Accept Maintenance from a Boxer

As a dependent, a wife can accept the money her husband earns as a boxer. However, the sin will be on him. See the link below. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

You may want to discuss other alternatives, such as suggesting that he become a fitness coach, as one needs to consider religious guidance over sporting aspirations when they conflict and could affect overall future family life.

As spouses, we need each other to support us on the journey to the next Life, not something that conflicts with our path toward it.

And Allah knows best.

[Mawlan] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Related Answers

•  Is Watching Boxing Allowed in Islam? — Professional boxing is problematic because it requires striking the face, cites al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya.
• Is Training and Sparring in Boxing Impermissible? — Boxing impermissible; only face-avoiding pad-sparring allowed; grounded in the Bukhari hadith.
• Is It Permissible to Eat the Food of Someone I Know Whose Income Is Haram?

Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.

حاشية رد المحتار (ج 6 / ص 490):

وفي جامع الجوامع: اشترى الزوج طعاما أو كسوة من مال خبيث جاز للمرأة أكله ولبسها والاثم على الزوج.