Continuation: What is your opinion regarding the fatwa of the Committee of Senior Scholars prohibiting the Rocket Dollar contest, stating that it is gambling and consuming people's wealth unjustly, and what do you advise the one who dealt with them and obtained some amounts, which he did not obtain except through his activity in selling the forms?
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The questioner : cars in the world worth twenty-five thousand dollars without any financial obligation on your part during three months, here:
Answer: The profit has become a reality through subscribing to the J.S.B.A. International contest coupons, which were influenced by the enticements contained therein that urge every person to take the initiative to subscribe to this contest in exchange for paying sixty-five dollars. The Council also reviewed the coupon for the contest known as the Rocket Dollar system, which stated: "Relax and become rich. Gambling is costly, but there is a recipe for success. Through this recipe, you can win a capital of twenty-five thousand US dollars without any financial obligations on your part within four to six weeks." It also stated that the Rocket Dollar is a game of money, not a lottery, operating with speed and complete secrecy wherever there is a post office. The coupon contains provocative phrases that deceive people and lead them to subscribe to this contest in exchange for paying seventy-five dollars from each subscriber. The Council also reviewed a number of letters from senders inquiring about the ruling on these contests, or expressing disapproval of allowing their promotion and similar ones in this country. The Council also reviewed the inquiry submitted regarding the ruling on the contest conducted by the Rasha Trading Company, dated 29/10/1409, and the attached explanation regarding this contest, as well as a sample of the advertisements for this contest, which was published in the Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah newspaper, issue and date 20/9/1409. Due to the importance and danger of the subject, both religiously and worldly, the Council studied the subject of commercial contests in general, which are promoted through some media outlets or through some commercial institutions, such as those mentioned above. After the Council studied the subject of these contests, to which some companies and institutions have resorted to seek to obtain large amounts of money without compensation, relying on deceiving and misleading the general public, and after reviewing the research prepared on the subject and reflecting on the scriptural evidence that stipulates the prohibition of gambling, and every transaction that involves gambling, deception, consuming wealth unjustly, or harming others, it became clear to the Council the prohibition of the J.S.B.A. International contest, the contest known as the Rocket Dollar, the Rasha Trading Company contest, and similar ones, because these contests involve consuming people's wealth unjustly, as every subscriber pays an amount of money at risk, and he does not know whether he will receive a return or not, and this is gambling. And because of the manipulation of people's minds, deceiving them, and misleading them, all these contests are gambling, which is forbidden by the Shari'ah, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90-91]
And Allah is the granter of success, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon His servant and our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions. The Committee of Senior Scholars.
The Shaykh : The ruling is clear, and praise be to Allah. It is obligatory to avoid what is forbidden, especially since it has reached the level of being associated with intoxicants, idols, and divination lots. And idols means: what is set up to be worshipped, so it is synonymous with idols.
Answer: The profit has become a reality through subscribing to the J.S.B.A. International contest coupons, which were influenced by the enticements contained therein that urge every person to take the initiative to subscribe to this contest in exchange for paying sixty-five dollars. The Council also reviewed the coupon for the contest known as the Rocket Dollar system, which stated: "Relax and become rich. Gambling is costly, but there is a recipe for success. Through this recipe, you can win a capital of twenty-five thousand US dollars without any financial obligations on your part within four to six weeks." It also stated that the Rocket Dollar is a game of money, not a lottery, operating with speed and complete secrecy wherever there is a post office. The coupon contains provocative phrases that deceive people and lead them to subscribe to this contest in exchange for paying seventy-five dollars from each subscriber. The Council also reviewed a number of letters from senders inquiring about the ruling on these contests, or expressing disapproval of allowing their promotion and similar ones in this country. The Council also reviewed the inquiry submitted regarding the ruling on the contest conducted by the Rasha Trading Company, dated 29/10/1409, and the attached explanation regarding this contest, as well as a sample of the advertisements for this contest, which was published in the Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah newspaper, issue and date 20/9/1409. Due to the importance and danger of the subject, both religiously and worldly, the Council studied the subject of commercial contests in general, which are promoted through some media outlets or through some commercial institutions, such as those mentioned above. After the Council studied the subject of these contests, to which some companies and institutions have resorted to seek to obtain large amounts of money without compensation, relying on deceiving and misleading the general public, and after reviewing the research prepared on the subject and reflecting on the scriptural evidence that stipulates the prohibition of gambling, and every transaction that involves gambling, deception, consuming wealth unjustly, or harming others, it became clear to the Council the prohibition of the J.S.B.A. International contest, the contest known as the Rocket Dollar, the Rasha Trading Company contest, and similar ones, because these contests involve consuming people's wealth unjustly, as every subscriber pays an amount of money at risk, and he does not know whether he will receive a return or not, and this is gambling. And because of the manipulation of people's minds, deceiving them, and misleading them, all these contests are gambling, which is forbidden by the Shari'ah, as Allah the Exalted said:
(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?
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاءَ فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاةِ فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُنْتَهُونَAnd Allah is the granter of success, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon His servant and our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions. The Committee of Senior Scholars.
The Shaykh : The ruling is clear, and praise be to Allah. It is obligatory to avoid what is forbidden, especially since it has reached the level of being associated with intoxicants, idols, and divination lots. And idols means: what is set up to be worshipped, so it is synonymous with idols.