The «Winning Trade» Game

GAME CONCEPT:

Combining education and fun, Mafaza is a religious board game based on associating deeds of this life
with the rewards of the afterlife.

The game translates the points for good deeds in Islam (Hasanat) into symbolic units named «Mafaza».
Players compete to accumulate Mafaza units by moving tokens representing imaginary characters on
a playing board representing life.

Mafaza differentiates good deeds from bad deeds as players seek to land their tokens on good deed
spaces on the board and avoid bad deed spaces.

Mafaza enriches players’ understanding of Islamic culture and broadens their general knowledge as
they attempt to answer 400 questions from different fields, associated with journeys on the board.

Mafaza emphasizes money as a means not an end. Players buy and invest in property spaces on the
board using play money, with the ultimate goal of exchanging their returns with Mafaza units in order
to win the game.

Finally, Mafaza introduces the «Dal» as a replacement to the die, thus making throwing skills a decisive
factor, instead of depending solely on luck.
2 – 4 Players, 10 years and above.
M A FA Z A
The «Winning Trade» Game

EQUIPMENT:

1. The Playing Board: The playing board is divided into different spaces representing prayers, good and
bad deeds, meals, journeys, properties, rights, and events.

2. Character Tokens: 4 tokens in different colors, each representing an imaginary character associated
with a player.

3. The Number Sheet: The number sheet is attached to the back of the game-box cover. It displays the
numbers 1, 2 and 3 in squares across the sheet. The number sheet is divided into two zones, sharing
the middle row of squares.

4. The «Dal»: A square-shaped disk. Players throw the «Dal» on the number sheet to determine the
number of spaces their tokens should be moved on the playing board. «Dal» scores vary between 1 and
12, calculated by adding the numbers in the squares the «Dal» lands on. Only squares within the zone
opposite the player count, including the shared middle row. (see figures below)

1 1+2=3

3+3=6 1+1+2+2=6
(Opposite zone only)
5. Mafaza Units: Play units representing the measurement of good deeds (Hasanat) in Islam. Players
receive Mafaza units from the «Mafaza Bank». Their distribution ratio is approximative and is not
identical to the actual islamic law. Mafaza units are divided into 6 categories detailed below:

Mafaza units 5 10 50 100 500 1000

Quantity 24 56 40 56 24 24

6. Dinar Coins: Play money representing gold dinar coins. Players receive Dinar coins from the «Dinar
Bank» or from other players. Dinar coins are divided into 6 categories detailed below:

Dinar coins 1 5 10 20 50 100

Quantity 32 12 16 12 16 8

7. Month Cards: 4 sets of month cards in colors matching the character tokens. Each set consists of 12
cards representing the lunar months in the Hijri calander of Islam, starting with Muharram (1) and
ending with Thul-Hijja (12). Each card highlights month-specific Mafaza returns for the listed prayers
and deeds.

8. «Mandatory Zakat» Cards: 4 cards in colors matching the character tokens, representing the due date
for Zakat (Mandatory Charity), payable once every 12 months. Each card contains the calculation
schedule for Zakat.

9. Question Cards: 100 cards each containing 4 different questions associated with the 4 journeys on the
playing board. Questions for each journey fall under the categories below:

Pilgrimage (Hajj)/(Omrah) Striving for Righteousness Seeking Knowledge Tourism

1. Islamic Faith 1. Prophet’s Biography 1. Signs in the Quran 1. Geography & Countries

2. Quran & Sunna 2. World Figures 2. Inventions & Technology 2. History & Civilizations
3. Islamic Jurisprudence 3. History of Islam 3. Science & Literature 3. Religions & Traditions
4. Islamic Disciplines 4. History of Wars 4. Sports & Varieties 4. Arts & Landmarks

10. Ownership Cards: 20 cards representing title deeds for the property spaces on the playing board and
containing a schedule of their returns.
11. Investment Stars: 4 sets of stars in colors matching the character tokens. Each set contains 16 stars.
Stars are placed on invested property spaces to identify the players carrying their ownership cards.
Additional stars indicate bigger investments.

12. Entailment Crescents: 4 sets of crescents in colors matching the character tokens. Each set contains
6 crescents. Crescents are placed on entailed property spaces to identify the players carrying their
ownership cards.

13. Meal Tokens: 4 tokens in colors matching the character tokens. Meal tokens are placed on the last meal
spaces landed upon by the respective character tokens, in order to determine fasting status.

14. «Rights» Cards: 15 cards containing instructions associated with rights of individuals, the community,
or the environment.

15. «Events» Cards: 15 cards containing imaginary events and incidents that affect players.

OBJECTIVE:

Each player should accumulate the largest number of Mafaza units by any of the following means:

Landing on good deed spaces and avoiding bad deed spaces.

Answering correctly the questions asked upon landing on journey spaces.

Exchanging play money with Mafaza units upon landing on «Charity», «Striving for Righteousness»,
as well as each player’s own entailed properties on the playing board.
PREPARATION:

1. Select an arbitrator to supervise the implementation of the game rules and to be responsible for the
«Mafaza Bank», «Dinar Bank», and all game equipment. He/she will also be responsible for reading
the «Dal» scores on the number sheet in order to maintain consistency. The arbitrator may elect not to
participate in the game.

2. The arbitrator spreads the playing board and places the «Rights» and «Events» cards facedown in their
allotted spaces.

3. The arbitrator gives each player 1,000 Mafaza units as detailed below:

Mafaza units 5 10 50 100 500

Quantity 2 4 1 4 1

4. The arbitrator gives each player the amount of Dinar coins detailed below:

Number of Players Dinar coins 1 5 10 20 50 100

Two 500 5 1 2 1 3 3
Three 350 5 1 2 1 2 2
Four 250 5 1 2 1 2 1

5. Each player selects a character token and places it on the start space «Dawn (Fajr) Prayer».

6. The arbitrator assigns each player with the set of Month cards that matches the color of his/her token.

7. Each player calls a specific month for paying Zakat. The arbitrator then places each player’s «Mandatory
Zakat» card on top of the chosen month within his/her set.

8. Players throw the «Dal» on the number sheet to determine their starting months. The arbitrator gives
each player the month card that matches the «Dal» score he/she gets. For example, if a player scores 9,
he/she starts in the month of Ramadan.

9. The player to the left of the arbitrator starts, followed by the player to his/her left.
THE PLAY:

Each player, in turn, throws the «Dal» then moves his/her token, in the direction of the arrow, the number
of spaces scored. Further action depends on the space landed upon. Two or more character tokens may rest
on the same space at the same time.

Everytime the «Dal» lands on all matching numbers (see figures below), the player moves his/her token
as usual and retains the «Dal» to play another turn. Players may play a maximum of three 3 turns in
succession.

)Matching( (Matching)

(Matching) (Not Matching)

Each cycle around the playing board represents an exemplery day in the month of the card in hand. Every
time a player’s token lands on or passes over «Dawn (Fajr) Prayer», the arbitrator replaces the player’s
month card with the month that follows, and gives him/her 50 Dinars from the «Dinar Bank» as monthly
income.
PRAYERS:

Every time a player’s token passes over any of the five obligatory prayer spaces, «Dawn (Fajr)», «Noon
(Dhuhr)», «Afternoon (Asr)», «Sunset (Maghrib)», «Evening (Isha)», he/she collects 10 Mafaza units,
assuming solitary prayer.

However, if a player’s token lands on any of the five obligatory prayer spaces, he/she collects 250
Mafaza units, assuming prayer in congregation.

FASTING:

Players collect the Mafaza units for fasting in accordance with the month card in hand, in the following cases:

If a player’s token lands on «Evening (Iftar) Meal» space.

Whenever a player’s token passes over «Evening (Iftar) Meal» space after having landed on «Pre-dawn
(Suhoor) Meal» space during the same cycle.

If a player’s token passes over «Evening (Iftar) Meal» space, while carrying the month card of
Ramadan.

The above cases are only applicable if a player’s token does not land on «Breakfast Meal» or «Lunch Meal»
spaces during the same cycle, (Refer to «LANDING ON MEAL SPACES»). While, if his/her token lands
on either of the two meal spaces mentioned above in the month of Ramadan, he/she also loses 250 Mafaza
units.

ZAKAT:

Once a player reaches the month he/she chose to pay Zakat in, and receives the «Mandatory Zakat» card
from the arbitrator, he/she pays an amount equivalent to 2.5% of his/her money to the «Dinar Bank» (See
table on Zakat Card). In return, the player collects 500 Mafaza units.

Zakat is only applicable when a player has at least 20 Dinars, calculated after receiving his/her monthly
income, paying his/her dues to other players, and adding the amounts other players owe him/her. Otherwise,
no Zakat is payable and no Mafaza units collected.
PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ) / (OMRAH):

If a player’s token lands on «Pilgrimage (Hajj)/(Omrah)» space, he/she may undertake the journey by
paying the expenses indicated on the space. In return, the player collects the Mafaza units indicated in the
month card in hand.

STRIVING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS:

If a player’s token lands on «Striving for Righteousness» space, he/she may exchange Dinars with Mafaza
units by spending money for the cause. For every 1 Dinar spent the player collects 20 Mafaza units.

JOURNEY/QUESTION(Seeking Knowledge, Pilgrimage (Hajj)/(Omrah), Tourism,

Striving for Righteousness)

Whenever a player’s token lands on any of the 4 journey spaces, and the player pays the journey expenses
indicated on the space («Seeking Knowledge» is for free), the arbitrator asks him/her three consecutive
questions from the category that corresponds to the color-code on the journey space. For each correct
answer, the player collects 100 Mafaza units.

Note: The arbitrator should not reveal the information between brackets that follow the answers before the
player has given an answer.

LANDING ON GOOD/BAD DEED SPACES:

Whenever a player’s token lands on a good deed (white) space, he/she collects the Mafaza units indicated
on that space. On the other hand, whenever a player’s token lands on a bad deed (black) space, he/she loses
the Mafaza units indicated on that space.

LANDING ON MEAL SPACES:

Whenever a player’s token lands on a meal space: «Pre-dawn (Suhoor)», «Breakfast», «Lunch», or
«Evening (Iftar)», the player pays 1 Dinar to the «Dinar Bank».

In each cycle, the arbitrator places each player’s meal token on the last meal space his/her token lands on
prior to reaching «Evening (Iftar) Meal» space, and retreives it once the player’s token lands on or passes
over «Evening (Iftar) Meal» space.
LANDING ON RIGHTS OR EVENTS SPACES:

Whenever a player’s token lands on either «Rights» or «Events» space, the player takes the top card from
the corresponding deck, follows the instructions, then returns the card face-down to the bottom of the
deck.

LANDING ON UN-OWNED PROPERTY:

If a player’s token lands on an un-owned property space, and the player deicides to buy it, he/she pays the
«Dinar Bank» the price indicated on that space and receives from the arbitrator its ownership card. The
arbitrator then places one of the player’s stars on the space if intended for investment, or one of the player’s
crescents if intended for entailment.

LANDING ON A PROPERTY INVESTED BY OTHERS:

Whenever a player’s token lands on a property space invested by another player, the owner of the property
collects from the visiting player the amount indicated in the ownership card, depending on the number of
investment stars on the space.

LANDING ON A PROPERTY ENTAILED BY OTHERS:

Whenever a player’s token lands on a property space entailed by another player, the owner of the property
collects from the «Mafaza Bank» the amount indicated for entailment in the ownership card. Nothing is
required from the visiting player.

ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IN PROPERTIES:

Anytime during the game, players may reinvest in their properties by buying 1 or 2 additional stars from the
«Dinar Bank» for the prices indicated in their respective ownership cards. Investment stars on each property
space should not exceed 3.
SELLING INVESTED PROPERTIES & ADDITIONAL STARS:

Anytime during the game, players may sell their additional stars and invested properties to the «Dinar
Bank» for the prices indicated in their respective ownership cards. Players may also sell their invested
properties along with their additional stars to other players after they agree on a price.

CHANGE IN STATUS OF PROPERTY SPACES:

Players may entail their invested properties after selling any additional stars they may have introduced, by
asking the arbitrator to replace the remaining star with one crescent of their own. On the other hand, the
status of entailed properties cannot be changed, nor can they be sold.

CHARITY (Exchanging Dinars with Mafaza Units):

If a player’s token lands on «Charity» space or any of his/her own entailed property spaces, the player may
exchange Dinars with Mafaza units. For every 1 Dinar donated to the «Dinar Bank» the player collects 10
Mafaza units. Players may also donate play money to each other if they agree to do so.

LOAN:

Players may take loans from each other, to be paid back upon receiving their monthly income. In return, the
lender collects 5 Mafaza units from the «Mafaza Bank» for every 1 dinar lent.

If the borrower fails to re-pay the debt upon receiving his/her monthly income, the lender has to chose either
to renew the loan and collect an additional 5 Mafaza units for every 1 Dinar lent, or to relinquish his/her
right to the remaining amount and collect 10 Mafaza units for each 1 Dinar relinquished. The lender is not
entitled to receive any interest.

DINAR BANKRUPTCY:

If a player goes Dinar bankrupt and has dues to the «Dinar Bank», he/she is obliged either to sell part of
his/her additional stars and invested properties to pay his/her dues, or to take a loan from another player. On
the other hand, if a player goes Dinar bankrupt and has dues to another player, then the other player should
choose to either relinquish his/her right or lend him/her the money and collect Mafaza returns accordingly.
(Refer to «CHARITY» and «LOAN»).
MAFAZA BANKRUPTCY:

If a player goes Mafaza bankrupt and has dues to the «Mafaza Bank», he/she is obliged to exchange Dinars
with Mafaza units by paying the «Dinar Bank» 1 Dinar for every 10 Mafaza units due. However, if the
player is Dinar bankrupt as well, then his/her Mafaza dues are cleared.

EARLY DEATH:

If a player draws the «Fatal Accident» card, his/her character token and investment stars are removed
from the playing board, ownership cards of all his/her invested properties go back to the arbitrator, and
all his/her money goes to the «Dinar Bank». The player only keeps his/her Mafaza units and the ownership
cards of his/her entailed properties. The player continues to collect Mafaza units whenever other tokens
land on his/her entailed property space.

GAME OVER:

The game ends unexpectedly once the «Game Over» card is drawn by any of the players. Players may also
agree on a time limit for the game by taking off their watches, setting an alarm clock, and placing it in a
concealed location.

THE WINNER:

The player with the highest total of Mafaza units at the end of the game wins, even if he/she had drawn
the «Fatal Accident» card during the game. In the case when two or more players have an equal number of
Mafaza units, the Arbitrator resorts to the question cards to determine the winner.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE PLAY:

Focusing on some aspects of the game and dropping others may help players acquaint themselves with its
various elements. Suggestions are shown below:

1. Distributing all Ownership Cards before start of play:

In the preparation stage, the arbitrator shuffles the ownership cards and distributes them to
the players, starting with the player to his/her left.

Each player places one of his/her stars or crescents on each of the property spaces received.

The arbitrator gives each player the amount of Dinar coins detailed below:

Number of Players Dinar coins 1 5 10 20 50 100

Two 300 5 1 2 1 1 2
Three 200 5 1 2 1 1 1
Four 150 5 1 2 1 2 -

2. Dropping Solitary Prayer:

If a player’s character token passes over any of the five obligatory prayer spaces, he/she
collects nothing.

3. Dropping Month Cards and «Mandatory Zakat» Cards:

Returns for landing on «Morning (Dhuha)/ Eid Prayer» space are set at 250 Mafaza.

Returns for fasting are set at 500 Mafaza.

Returns for «Pilgrimage (Hajj)/ (Omrah)» journey are set at 500 Mafaza.

4. Dropping Question Cards:

No questions are asked upon landing on the journey/question spaces.

If a player’s token lands on «Seeking Knowledge», he/she collects 100 Mafaza.

If a player’s token lands on «Tourism» and the player pays the expenses indicated on the space,
he/she collects 100 Mafaza.