Rulings on Wagers and Competitions
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question : The questioner says: It has become common among people for some to say to others, "I bet you on such and such." Some scholars have said that if the wagered item belongs to one of the two parties, it is not permissible, but if it comes from a third party, it is permissible. What is the evidence for this distinction?
Answer : If two men compete on a matter, one saying such and such, and the other saying such and such, and each says to the other, "If the correct opinion is what you say, then you must do such and such, and if the correct opinion is what I say, then you must do such and such," this is undoubtedly gambling (maysir), because it falls under the rule of gambling, where a person is either a gainer or a loser. It is forbidden (haram) because Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:59] [Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91]?
And because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 3874. "Al-Sabq" (with a fathah) is the reward taken for the competition. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) invalidated al-sabq, invalidating it except in these three: the lance, the hoof, and the horse. "Al-Nasl" is the arrows, meaning weapons; "al-Khaf" is camels; and "al-Haafir" is horses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only excepted these three because they are all used in jihad in the cause of Allah, and they are relied upon for jihad in the cause of Allah. So the benefit obtained from competing in them and offering a reward for al-sabq was greater than the harm that exists in gambling. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted them.
So, if these two competitors, each of whom claims that his opinion is the correct one, say, "Whoever of us is correct must do such and such," it is forbidden gambling. But if a person from among the people says, "Whoever of you two is correct, and whose opinion is the correct one, will receive such and such," then this is not gambling, because no one is risking or losing anything. Rather, that is from the category of prizes intended to encourage competition in this matter. However, offering such things, meaning offering prizes to the competitors, must be accompanied by what the evidence requires. If you place this reward on a competition that has no good in it, your action has no good in it. And if you place it on an action that has good in it, then there is good in it. And if you place it on an action that leads to the loss of money, the waste of time, and occupying people with what does not benefit them or what harms them, then the prizes in such a case are evil and a waste of money.
Answer : If two men compete on a matter, one saying such and such, and the other saying such and such, and each says to the other, "If the correct opinion is what you say, then you must do such and such, and if the correct opinion is what I say, then you must do such and such," this is undoubtedly gambling (maysir), because it falls under the rule of gambling, where a person is either a gainer or a loser. It is forbidden (haram) because Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا(90) 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. (91) Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?
إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَAnd because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
God’s Messenger as saying, “Wagers are allowed only for shooting arrows, or racing camels or horses.”
صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا سَبَقَ إِلَّا فِي نَصْلٍ أَوْ خُفٍّ أَوْ حَافِرٍSo, if these two competitors, each of whom claims that his opinion is the correct one, say, "Whoever of us is correct must do such and such," it is forbidden gambling. But if a person from among the people says, "Whoever of you two is correct, and whose opinion is the correct one, will receive such and such," then this is not gambling, because no one is risking or losing anything. Rather, that is from the category of prizes intended to encourage competition in this matter. However, offering such things, meaning offering prizes to the competitors, must be accompanied by what the evidence requires. If you place this reward on a competition that has no good in it, your action has no good in it. And if you place it on an action that has good in it, then there is good in it. And if you place it on an action that leads to the loss of money, the waste of time, and occupying people with what does not benefit them or what harms them, then the prizes in such a case are evil and a waste of money.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، لقاء[61 من 61] أحكام الرهان والمسابقات - الشيخ ابن عثيمين - مشروع كبار العلماء — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.