Question Summary:
Is it permissible to play 8 ball pool? Can one speak a lie for the sake of Deen?

Question Detail:

 I want to ask that is playing 8 ball pool is halal or haram? It is basically snooker online game. But you bet on coins i.e. if you win you earn coins and if you lose you lose coins. You get 25 coins after every 30minutes automatically. It doesnot involve any real money. My second question is that is hiding something for the sake of your deen allowed or not? For example if you are going to any deeni gathering and you want to take your friend along with you but if you tell him that i am going to bayan then he will never go but once he reached there he will listen to it. similarly telling parents that i am going to my friends but in reality you are going for deeni gathering.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1). We have studied the 8 ball pool online game observed that the game does not have any principle violations of Shariah[1]. However, apart from the challenges and known negative consequences of online games, we advise the following:
It is imperative to understand that we are the bondsmen of Allah and our objective is to serve Allah alone. Our stay in this realm is temporary. Success in the Hereafter depends solely on our performance in this world. Therefore, our entire time should be spent in His worship. However, being weak, we are unable to spend our entire time worshipping Allah. If we don’t eat, we will die of hunger. If we don’t drink, we will die of thirst. Therefore, Allah commanded us to fulfill a bare minimum amount of ‘ibādah, the farāid and wājibāt, and prohibited certain actions and deeds. Hence, we are also able to fulfill our necessities in this world whilst being obedient to Allah Ta‘ālā.
As far as the free time one has at his dispense, Nabi salla Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, “The intelligent person is the one who controls his desire and works for the hereafter…”[2] Hence, maximum amount of time should be spent in preparing for one’s ākhirah.   
2). As far as taking your friend to a religious gathering, it is not a matter of taking him once only. If you continue to deceive him, soon you will lose his trust. Merely attending or bringing someone to a gathering of wa‘z and nasīhah (advice) at any cost is not tantamount to him changing his life. Rather, you should focus your effort upon instilling love of dīn in his heart. Using forceful and deceitful tactics will only cause hatred and distance, though he might just sit and listen for the time being.
The state of the youth as far as their īmān and religiousness is definitely a concern currently. However, it is our responsibility to employ methods which attract them towards dīn. Organizing dinners, sports activities, etc. are all possible methods which have been proven successful in achieving the higher objective. Our advice to you is that you raise an awareness with responsible brothers in your area to work in this direction. It is imperative that you work under the guidance of your local ‘ulamā’ at every stage.
3). Please explain why you need to lie to your parents for attending a dīnī gathering. Are they old and in need of your service? Which group/crowd are you associating with? Are there other activities after the program that delay your return? Do you return late at night?
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Hisham Dawood
Student Darul Iftaa
Chicago, USA 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.