In recent times, it has become common at gas stations to offer books worth 150 riyals or less or more, and in this book there is a number specific to the purchasing person.
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The questioner : A questioner says, O honorableThe Shaykh : In recent times, it has become common at gas stations to offer books worth 150 riyals or less or more, and in this book there is a number specific to the purchasing person. They give this book to the person after writing his name and ID card number, and after one year of his subscription to this book, a draw is held for either one car or two cars or some valuable prizes for which people are motivated to buy these books. Is this permissible or forbidden? And what is the solution in such a case if it is forbidden?
The Shaykh : If this book is of a type that is customarily given, as is the case in some stations where they give customers a book to record the gasoline they take, and the price of the gasoline is the usual price in the country, then there is nothing wrong with it and no harm in it. However, if the owner of the prize, meaning the owner of the station, increases the price of the gasoline, then that is not permissible. Because if he increases the price, he increases the cost for the buyer; the buyer pays an extra amount, and he may or may not get the prize. If he gets the prize, he is a gainer; if he does not get it, he is a loser. And every contract that revolves between gain and loss is of the nature of gambling (maysir), which Allah the Mighty and Majestic has forbidden. But some people say: If the gasoline is at its usual price and it is customary to give the customer this book, then if the station owner places a prize, he will be envied by the owner of another station and his livelihood will be cut off. The answer to that is to say: Livelihood is in the hand of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Allah may direct livelihood to the owner of a station that does not have these prizes, and Allah may deprive the owner of this station of livelihood even if he has prizes. Then we say that there is no harm for the other stations to place a prize like this prize, so that people do not leave them for the other station that has the prize.
The Shaykh : If this book is of a type that is customarily given, as is the case in some stations where they give customers a book to record the gasoline they take, and the price of the gasoline is the usual price in the country, then there is nothing wrong with it and no harm in it. However, if the owner of the prize, meaning the owner of the station, increases the price of the gasoline, then that is not permissible. Because if he increases the price, he increases the cost for the buyer; the buyer pays an extra amount, and he may or may not get the prize. If he gets the prize, he is a gainer; if he does not get it, he is a loser. And every contract that revolves between gain and loss is of the nature of gambling (maysir), which Allah the Mighty and Majestic has forbidden. But some people say: If the gasoline is at its usual price and it is customary to give the customer this book, then if the station owner places a prize, he will be envied by the owner of another station and his livelihood will be cut off. The answer to that is to say: Livelihood is in the hand of Allah the Mighty and Majestic. Allah may direct livelihood to the owner of a station that does not have these prizes, and Allah may deprive the owner of this station of livelihood even if he has prizes. Then we say that there is no harm for the other stations to place a prize like this prize, so that people do not leave them for the other station that has the prize.