In our country, there is a charitable lottery association whose proceeds are allocated to the poor. It consists of different numbers issued in large quantities of papers bearing different numbers.
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The questioner : In our country, there is a charitable lottery association whose proceeds are allocated to the poor and the needy. It consists of different numbers issued in large quantities of papers bearing different numbers. When the time comes to draw on these papers, some win and some lose. What is the ruling in Islam regarding these winning papers, where a person buys them for a nominal value, and they may win a very large sum or lose? And is it permissible to donate from these amounts he has won to the poor and the needy?
The Shaykh : This transaction is forbidden in Islam. Allah the Exalted equated it with associating partners with Allah and drinking intoxicants, because it is a form of gambling. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90] Therefore, it is not permissible for a person to gamble, whether by this method or by any other method, because gambling is undoubtedly a form of gambling, and gambling is forbidden. As the listener heard, it is associated with intoxicants, sacrificial stones, and arrow sticks.
Charity from this foul profit is not accepted, because it is charity from a foul, forbidden earning. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 1015 However, if a person repents to Allah from this action and has taken profit by this method, then he must donate what he took or spend it on public interests to rid himself of it, not to draw near to Allah with it, to rid himself of it, because there is no way to be rid of it except by this. And Allah the Exalted said: [At-Taghabun 64:16] Not to draw near to Allah with it, because if he drew near to Allah with it, he would donate it as if it were his property, not as if he were disposing of it from his ownership. In that case, his conscience would not be cleared of it, and it would not be accepted from him, because it is a foul earning, and Allah the Exalted does not accept except what is pure.
I advise my Muslim brothers and urge them with what Allah has urged His servants to do: to fear Allah the Exalted and to abandon these transactions based on excessive uncertainty and gambling, in whatever form they take and under whatever name they are called, because realities do not change with different appearances or with decorated names. And in what Allah has permitted for us of buying and selling, leasing, and other transactions, there is sufficiency for these forbidden transactions.
The Shaykh : This transaction is forbidden in Islam. Allah the Exalted equated it with associating partners with Allah and drinking intoxicants, because it is a form of gambling. Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
يا أيها الذين ءامنوا إنما الخمر والميسر والأنصاب والأزلام رجس من عمل الشيطان فاجتنبوه لعلكم تُفلحونCharity from this foul profit is not accepted, because it is charity from a foul, forbidden earning. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Allah is Good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good
إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباًSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمI advise my Muslim brothers and urge them with what Allah has urged His servants to do: to fear Allah the Exalted and to abandon these transactions based on excessive uncertainty and gambling, in whatever form they take and under whatever name they are called, because realities do not change with different appearances or with decorated names. And in what Allah has permitted for us of buying and selling, leasing, and other transactions, there is sufficiency for these forbidden transactions.