Why bongosbingo.co.uk Doesn’t Work (Ethically for Muslims)

From an Islamic ethical standpoint, bongosbingo.co.uk “doesn’t work” because its core offering directly contravenes fundamental principles of permissible earnings, responsible leisure, and modest social conduct. It’s not about technical functionality; the website may work perfectly well as a platform for its intended purpose. The issue lies in the intrinsic nature of the activity it facilitates, rendering it unsuitable and impermissible for a Muslim.

Read more about bongosbingo.co.uk:
bongosbingo.co.uk Review & First Look
Bongosbingo.co.uk Cons (From an Ethical Standpoint)

The Prohibition of Gambling (Maysir)

The primary reason bongosbingo.co.uk doesn’t work for Muslims is its central feature: bingo, which is a form of gambling (maysir). In Islam, gambling is unequivocally prohibited. The Quran states: “O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, stone altars [for sacrifices to idols], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause enmity and hatred between you through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?” (Quran 5:90-91). This verse is a clear, definitive prohibition, linking gambling with other major sins and highlighting its detrimental effects on individuals and society.

• Zero-Sum Game: Gambling is a zero-sum game where one person’s gain is another’s loss, without any productive exchange of goods or services. This contrasts sharply with Islamic economic principles that emphasise fair trade, work, and mutual benefit.
• Dependence on Chance: Success in gambling depends purely on chance, rather than effort, skill, or creativity. Islam encourages reliance on God combined with diligent effort (tawakkul), not on random luck.
• Economic Harm: Gambling can lead to significant financial losses, debt, and poverty, diverting resources from productive investments and basic necessities. For instance, a 2018 study by the Gambling Commission in the UK reported that problem gambling costs the UK economy around £1.2 billion annually.

Impermissible Entertainment Elements: Music and Mingling

Beyond gambling, the “dance-offs” and “rave intervals” contribute to an atmosphere that is generally impermissible for Muslims.

• Instrumental Music: A significant body of Islamic scholarship views instrumental music, particularly that associated with secular entertainment and distraction, as impermissible. The loud, stimulating nature of “rave” music falls into this category, distracting from the remembrance of Allah and promoting heedlessness.
• Immodest Interaction: Events involving “dance-offs” and large social gatherings, especially with mixed genders, often lead to a lack of modesty in dress and interaction. Islam places great emphasis on hijab (modesty) for both men and women, and avoiding situations that could lead to inappropriate contact or temptation. These environments often blur the lines of permissible social interaction.
• Associated Harms: Such events are frequently associated with the consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants, even if not directly promoted by the website. These substances are strictly forbidden in Islam due to their destructive effects on judgment, health, and spiritual well-being.

Misallocation of Time and Resources

Islam encourages Muslims to use their time and resources wisely, investing them in activities that are beneficial for themselves, their families, and society, both in this life and the hereafter.

• Waste of Time: Spending hours participating in a gambling-based entertainment event is considered a waste of precious time that could be dedicated to prayer, learning, earning a lawful livelihood, or performing acts of charity.
• Waste of Wealth: Any money spent on impermissible activities is considered squandered. Instead, wealth should be used for necessities, charitable giving, investment in halal businesses, or supporting one’s family. Data shows average spending on gambling in the UK is significant; in 2022, the gross gambling yield (GGY) for the industry was £14.1 billion, representing vast sums of money diverted from productive uses.

Spiritual Detriment

Engaging in forbidden activities carries severe spiritual consequences. It can:

• Weaken Faith: Participating in haram acts can gradually weaken one’s faith and connection with Allah.
• Lead to Further Sins: One forbidden act can lead to others, creating a slippery slope of moral compromise.
• Deprive of Blessings: Disobedience can remove blessings (barakah) from one’s life and earnings.

For these comprehensive reasons, bongosbingo.co.uk, despite its apparent success as a mainstream entertainment venture, fundamentally “doesn’t work” for a Muslim seeking to adhere to their faith’s ethical and legal guidelines. The path of a Muslim is one of purposeful living, seeking permissible joy and benefit, and meticulously avoiding what is forbidden. Bongosbingo.co.uk Cons (From an Ethical Standpoint)