Can a Muslim pursue career as a Professional Race Car Driver?

Question

From my childhood, I had a craze for racing cars & that sort of stuff. Growing older, I researched more & more on how I can pursue my career as a Professional Race Car Driver in NASCAR. But when it came to point of halal & haram, it was more of a haram according to my research on the internet. In one of the blogs I've read that, Being a race car driver can bring a lot of risk to once one life but I think that in every career there is risk & in the same way racing has too.

Now I would like some suggestions on how can I be a racing car driver following the shariah of Islam & even if I had to cross some red lines of Islam then what that would be?

Answer 1

Bismillah. Alhamdulillahi rabbil-'alamin was-Salatu was-Salam 'ala Sayyidil-Mursalin wa 'ala 'Alihi wa Sahbihi Ajma'in.

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AFAK, car races are organized to win prize money. And whether it is Halal for a Muslim, to pursue career as a Professional Race Car Driver, is under big doubt as Prophet (ﷺ) forbade prizes for racing except for racing camels, or horses or shooting arrows.

Narrated Abu Hurayrah:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Wagers are allowed only for racing camels, or horses or shooting arrows.

^{Sunan Abi Dawud 2574}

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“There should be no prizes for racing except races with camels and horses.”

^{Sunan Ibn Majah 2878}

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

That the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "No stake is acceptable except in archery, racing a camel, and racing a horse."

^{Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1700}

And Allah orders with a strong warning

And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

^{Quran 59:7}

Answer 2

The answer from user31217 shows it is permissible for racing camels, or horses or shooting arrows. These were popular activities during prophet (s.a) times but in modern time we can take analogy from this and see if popular activities in current times like shooting, car and bike races can be allowed or not. Scholars need to deeply study this to see if this is allowed or not instead or getting stuck in old activities. Allah knows best..