Section: As for chess, it is like dice (nard) regarding prohibition, except that dice is more strictly prohibited than it, because a textual evidence (nass) has come regarding its prohibition. However, since this is in the same meaning, its ruling is established for it by way of analogy (qiyas). Qadi Abu al-Husayn mentioned, among those who held the view of its prohibition: Ali ibn Abi Talib, Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas (35), Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, al-Qasim, Salim, Urwah, Muhammad [ibn Ali] (36) ibn al-Husayn, Matar al-Warraq (37), and Malik. This is also the view of Abu Hanifah. Al-Shafi'i held the view that it is permissible, and his companions narrated that from Abu Hurayrah, Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, and Sa'id ibn Jubayr. They argued that the principle is permissibility, and no text has been narrated regarding its prohibition, nor is it in the meaning of the thing textually prohibited (38), so it remains upon permissibility. Chess differs from dice in two respects: first, in chess there is the strategy of war, so it resembles playing with spears, archery, and horse racing. Second, what is relied upon in dice is what the two dice (40) produce, so it resembles arrows of divination (azlam), whereas what is relied upon in chess is one's skill and strategy, so it resembles shooting arrows as a competition. Our evidence is the saying of God Almighty: "Indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than God], and arrows of divination are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it" (41). Ali, may God be pleased with him, said: "Chess is part of maysir (gambling)" (42). Ali, may God be pleased with him, passed by some people playing chess and said: "What are these statues to which you are devoted?" (42). Ahmad said: