Short answer
Not in themselves. Video games are permitted in the Hanafi view when the content is clean and they do not take you away from your duties. They become haram with nudity, music, mockery of religion, shirk or gambling features such as paid loot boxes, or when they cause missed prayers or addiction.
Games of pure amusement are disliked when they waste time, and haram when they contain prohibited content (nudity, music, gambling, shirk) or lead to missed obligations. A game free of these, played in moderation, especially one with some benefit, is permitted.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
Islam allows lawful recreation. The Prophet ﷺ raced with Aisha, and he approved of archery, horse riding and wrestling. Rest and play are part of a healthy life. What matters is what the game contains and what it costs you.
A video game is not allowed when it includes:
- Nudity or sexual content, including revealing character designs.
- Music, which the Hanafi school forbids. Turn the soundtrack off where you can.
- Shirk or magic as a virtue, such as praying to gods or worshipping idols as part of play, or mocking Islam.
- Gambling: loot boxes and spins bought with real money, betting skins, casino modes.
- Voice chat that leads to harm: foul language, or private contact with strangers of the opposite sex.
Even a clean game becomes a problem when it delays salah, keeps you up so you miss Fajr, harms your studies or work, or turns into an addiction. The Prophet ﷺ said that health and free time are two blessings most people waste. A good test: would you be happy to meet Allah while playing it?
On images of living beings: under the stricter Hanafi view, animated characters are images and should be avoided. Many later Hanafi scholars do not treat on-screen digital images as forbidden image-making, so under their view the content test above decides. For children, use parental controls and set time limits. The four schools apply the same principles to play.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Muminoon 23:3
وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنِ ٱللَّغْوِ مُعْرِضُونَ ﴿٣﴾
And they who turn away from ill speech
Successful believers turn away from useless and harmful pastimes.
Sahih al-Bukhari 6412
Sahih... نعمتان مغبون فيهما كثير من الناس الصحة والفراغ ...
"There are two blessings that many people lose out on: health and free time."
Time spent on games should not be wasted.
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2317
Graded sahih... من حسن إسلام المرء تركه ما لا يعنيه ...
"Part of a person's good Islam is leaving what does not concern him."
Excess in useless play is against good practice of the faith.
Sunan Abi Dawud 2578
Graded sahih... هذه بتلك السبقة ...
"This one is for that race."
The Prophet ﷺ raced with Aisha, so lawful play is allowed.
Where the ruling is recorded
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Hazr wa al-Ibaha, discussion of games and play. Play without benefit is disliked, and play with sin is forbidden.
- Takmilat Fath al-Mulhim (Mufti Taqi Usmani), Kitab al-Libas wa al-Zina, discussion of images. The view that digital images on a screen differ from printed images.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.