The Ruling on Commercial Competitions and Participating in Them
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The questioner: What is the ruling on the competitions announced by some commercial establishments, which include prizes such as cars and others, and what is the ruling on participating in them?The Shaykh: There is nothing wrong with them, provided two conditions are met: The first condition is that the prices of the goods in this store are not raised.
The second condition: That the buyer has a purpose for the item,Meaning: that he will buy it in any case.
As for if he does not buy it except for the sake of the prize, this is not permissible, because he might buy many things and not get the prize.
The Shaykh: But one of the conditions of the competition is purchasing! The Shaykh: I understand. If you buy, do you buy for your need, or for the sake of the competition?The questioner: For the sake of the competition.
The Shaykh: It is not permissible, because you might buy for two hundred or three hundred riyals and not succeed. But if you are definitely going to buy, like gasoline now, where the station owner placed the prize and the price of the gasoline is the same, and you chose this station because it has a prize, you are not at a loss. This is permissible, because you are now either a winner or safe; there is no gambling. But if you do not want to buy, like what you heard about some milk cans having a prize, and you heard that some people buy a hundred cartons or more and then pour them on the ground, hoping to get the card with the prize, this is not permissible. Likewise, if the merchant raises the price, it is not permissible, because this person will buy at a higher price, so he will be either a winner or in debt.
The important thing is that we have known the two conditions: First: That the value of the item is like the other values in the market.
The second: That a person buys for a need, not for the sake of the prize.
The second condition: That the buyer has a purpose for the item,Meaning: that he will buy it in any case.
As for if he does not buy it except for the sake of the prize, this is not permissible, because he might buy many things and not get the prize.
The Shaykh: But one of the conditions of the competition is purchasing! The Shaykh: I understand. If you buy, do you buy for your need, or for the sake of the competition?The questioner: For the sake of the competition.
The Shaykh: It is not permissible, because you might buy for two hundred or three hundred riyals and not succeed. But if you are definitely going to buy, like gasoline now, where the station owner placed the prize and the price of the gasoline is the same, and you chose this station because it has a prize, you are not at a loss. This is permissible, because you are now either a winner or safe; there is no gambling. But if you do not want to buy, like what you heard about some milk cans having a prize, and you heard that some people buy a hundred cartons or more and then pour them on the ground, hoping to get the card with the prize, this is not permissible. Likewise, if the merchant raises the price, it is not permissible, because this person will buy at a higher price, so he will be either a winner or in debt.
The important thing is that we have known the two conditions: First: That the value of the item is like the other values in the market.
The second: That a person buys for a need, not for the sake of the prize.