And obey Allāh and obey the Messenger and beware. And if you turn away - then know that upon Our Messenger is only [the responsibility for] clear notification.
Prohibiting Khamr (Intoxicants) and Maysir (Gambling)
Allah forbids His believing servants from consuming Khamr and Maysir which is gambling. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ali bin Abi Talib, the Leader of the Faithful, said that chess is a type of gambling. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that `Ata', Mujahid and Tawus, or , two of them, said that every type of gambling, including children's playing with (a certain type of) nuts, is Maysir. Ibn `Umar said that Al-Maysir means gambling, and this is the same statement that Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas, who added, "They used to gamble during the time of Jahiliyyah, until Islam came. Allah then forbade them from this evil behavior."
And obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and be careful. If you turn back, be sure that the duty of Our Messenger is only to convey the Message clearly.
The lesson to be learnt is that the command to obey Allah and His Messenger is in one's own interest, and benefit. If one does not listen to the good counsel, their action brings no loss to Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu or to His Messenger. That Allah is far above any gain or loss was quite obvious, but in the case of the Messenger someone might have thought that a refusal to listen to him might affect or lessen the degree of his reward or station. To remove this doubt, it was said: أَنَّمَا عَلَىٰ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِي . It means: Even if none of you were to listen to and obey Our Messenger, it would still not make any difference to his integrity and station because he has completed the mission entrusted with him. His mission was to convey the commands of Allah Ta ala, openly and clearly. This he has accomplished. Now, after that, whoever chooses not to obey him will bring loss on his or her person - Our Messenger has nothing to lose in this case.
Tazkirul Quran
Maulana Wahiduddin KhanOn ayahs 91–93
The imbibing of intoxicants, gambling and frequenting abodes where beings other than God are worshipped or offered sacrifices and the drawing of lots, in which seeking help from someone other than God is involved—all these are base, satanic actions. These things lead a man to his mental and physical downfall. Intoxicants destroy the refined human feelings existing in a man. Similarly, the throwing of arrows, the drawing of lots, etc., are actions which are based either on superficial thoughts or on superstitious beliefs. Islam wants man to become a rememberer and worshipper of God; making himself completely obedient to God and His Prophet. For this purpose, a man’s being serious is absolutely necessary. But the above-mentioned misdeeds are the greatest destroyers of seriousness. Islam wants to create a man who recognizes and understands realities, who in living his life, rises above materialism, whereas intoxicants make a man forgetful of realities, arrows and the drawing of lots plunge a man into the dark abysses of superstition, and gambling leads man into materialism to an extent which is criminal. Islam wants to create a man who elevates himself on the basis of facts and realities, but intoxicants promote an excessive lack of awareness of what is proper and gambling promotes excessive selfishness. These are the two root causes of disturbances and riots. Those who lose their moral awareness also lose their respect for others’ dignity and property. Such people become brazen to the ultimate extent, indulging in tyranny and injustice and unduly harassing others. Similarly, gambling is the worst form of exploitation and selfishness in that it enables a man to rob many people, thus enriching himself and achieving great material success. A drunkard is devoid of any awareness of others’ trouble or grief, while for a gambler, others are only subjects of exploitation. A society where such people exist will be vitiated by clashes and enmity, and its members will live in an atmosphere of mutual mistrust and recrimination.
