In recent times, some merchants have increasingly distributed cards with their merchandise, such that whoever purchases a certain amount receives a prize, or it takes the form of
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The questioner : In recent times, some merchants have increasingly distributed cards with their merchandise, such that whoever purchases a certain amount receives a prize, or it takes the form of fragmented stickers, where the one who obtains all the parts receives the images or words contained in them?
The Shaykh : There are two scenarios here, as I understood from the question.
The first scenario: The merchant says, "Whoever buys from me for a thousand, for example, I will give him a prize of such and such." Pay attention.
He says: "Whoever buys from me for a thousand riyals will have a prize of such and such."
So here, is the prize known or not? He says, "Whoever buys from this merchandise for a thousand riyals, I will give him a Parker pen worth fifty riyals."
Is the prize known or not?
The students: It is known.
The Shaykh : And the amount? It is known, a thousand riyals, it is known.
This has no prohibition in terms of its apparent form, but there may be a prohibition in the sense that the buyer might purchase goods worth a thousand riyals, which he does not need, but only for the sake of the prize, thereby wasting his money in pursuit of obtaining this prize.
As for the second scenario, it is when he says: "Whoever buys for the amount of a thousand riyals, he will hold a lottery between himself and others for a prize of, for example, fifty riyals."
There is no doubt in its prohibition, and it is not permissible, because you will be buying while in a state of uncertainty; you might get the fifty, or you might not, because it will be by lottery, and it is not guaranteed for you.
This falls under the category of gambling, and Allah the Exalted linked gambling with intoxicants and the worship of idols, saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90].
There is a third scenario, which perhaps the questioner did not mention, or which I did not understand from his question.
They place an image of a car, half of it on one card and the other half on another, and we do not know if it exists or not; it may not exist.
Unless it is established that someone has obtained this car prize, and otherwise everyone is buying, and when will the second half come? Perhaps...
Is this possible or not? This is possible, but has anyone among the people obtained the prize? Did they get it?
Do you have it? In any case, the possibility that it does not exist is present, and the possibility that it truly exists... is also present.
Let us say that it is possible and that this prize was obtained; it is still forbidden without doubt, because if a person buys a carton that suffices him and his family and finds half a car in it, he will buy dozens or hundreds of cartons hoping to obtain the second half to get the car, and he will lose hundreds of dirhams, and the end result is nothing, as it may be obtained by someone else. Thus, this involves wasting money and risk, and it is not permissible to use these methods.
We ask Allah the Exalted to guide our merchants to lawful profit that benefits them and does not harm them.
The Shaykh : There are two scenarios here, as I understood from the question.
The first scenario: The merchant says, "Whoever buys from me for a thousand, for example, I will give him a prize of such and such." Pay attention.
He says: "Whoever buys from me for a thousand riyals will have a prize of such and such."
So here, is the prize known or not? He says, "Whoever buys from this merchandise for a thousand riyals, I will give him a Parker pen worth fifty riyals."
Is the prize known or not?
The students: It is known.
The Shaykh : And the amount? It is known, a thousand riyals, it is known.
This has no prohibition in terms of its apparent form, but there may be a prohibition in the sense that the buyer might purchase goods worth a thousand riyals, which he does not need, but only for the sake of the prize, thereby wasting his money in pursuit of obtaining this prize.
As for the second scenario, it is when he says: "Whoever buys for the amount of a thousand riyals, he will hold a lottery between himself and others for a prize of, for example, fifty riyals."
There is no doubt in its prohibition, and it is not permissible, because you will be buying while in a state of uncertainty; you might get the fifty, or you might not, because it will be by lottery, and it is not guaranteed for you.
This falls under the category of gambling, and Allah the Exalted linked gambling with intoxicants and the worship of idols, saying:
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
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالْأَنْصَابُ وَالْأَزْلَامُ رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِThere is a third scenario, which perhaps the questioner did not mention, or which I did not understand from his question.
They place an image of a car, half of it on one card and the other half on another, and we do not know if it exists or not; it may not exist.
Unless it is established that someone has obtained this car prize, and otherwise everyone is buying, and when will the second half come? Perhaps...
Is this possible or not? This is possible, but has anyone among the people obtained the prize? Did they get it?
Do you have it? In any case, the possibility that it does not exist is present, and the possibility that it truly exists... is also present.
Let us say that it is possible and that this prize was obtained; it is still forbidden without doubt, because if a person buys a carton that suffices him and his family and finds half a car in it, he will buy dozens or hundreds of cartons hoping to obtain the second half to get the car, and he will lose hundreds of dirhams, and the end result is nothing, as it may be obtained by someone else. Thus, this involves wasting money and risk, and it is not permissible to use these methods.
We ask Allah the Exalted to guide our merchants to lawful profit that benefits them and does not harm them.