The ruling on purchasing from stores that conduct prize draws among their customers?
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The questioner : In these days, advertisements have become common regarding the placement of prizes in commercial stores, at stations, and in newspapers, stating that whoever purchases an item for a certain amount receives a card to enter a competition that is drawn after a certain period, and the winner receives a prize. The buyer, if you question him, says, "I am a customer, a customer, or I bought without intending the prize." We hope for a bit of detail on this issue?
The Shaykh : This issue, may Allah reward you, has a detail: If a person buys from this shop without the intention of buying, but for the sake of the prize, then this is not permissible. Or if the shop owner has raised the price higher than others and he bought it, then this is also not permissible. Why? Because the buyer will be either a winner or a loser, and this rule is actually gambling. However, if the person is going to buy anyway, the price has not been raised, and the card he is given has no value, meaning it is given to him for free, then there is no harm in it, because this buyer is either safe or a winner, with no loss.
The questioner : They require a specific amount.
The Shaykh : There is no harm, how much, two hundred riyals, for example?
The questioner : He is satisfied with two hundred riyals...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no harm, there is no obstacle, as I said.
The questioner : He buys goods?
The Shaykh : I say that whoever buys for the sake of a prize, then this is forbidden and not permissible, because I have heard some people buy cans of milk when they do not want them, but they say, "Perhaps I will hit the prize." This is not permissible because he wasted his money without benefit. So the rule for us is: if he does not buy except for the sake of the prize, then this is forbidden.
Second: If the price of the item has been raised, then this is also forbidden. If he buys for his need of this item and the price has not been raised, then there is no harm in it, because either the prize comes to him or it does not. If it comes to him, he has gained without loss, and if it does not come to him, he is safe and has not lost anything. Please.
The Shaykh : This issue, may Allah reward you, has a detail: If a person buys from this shop without the intention of buying, but for the sake of the prize, then this is not permissible. Or if the shop owner has raised the price higher than others and he bought it, then this is also not permissible. Why? Because the buyer will be either a winner or a loser, and this rule is actually gambling. However, if the person is going to buy anyway, the price has not been raised, and the card he is given has no value, meaning it is given to him for free, then there is no harm in it, because this buyer is either safe or a winner, with no loss.
The questioner : They require a specific amount.
The Shaykh : There is no harm, how much, two hundred riyals, for example?
The questioner : He is satisfied with two hundred riyals...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no harm, there is no obstacle, as I said.
The questioner : He buys goods?
The Shaykh : I say that whoever buys for the sake of a prize, then this is forbidden and not permissible, because I have heard some people buy cans of milk when they do not want them, but they say, "Perhaps I will hit the prize." This is not permissible because he wasted his money without benefit. So the rule for us is: if he does not buy except for the sake of the prize, then this is forbidden.
Second: If the price of the item has been raised, then this is also forbidden. If he buys for his need of this item and the price has not been raised, then there is no harm in it, because either the prize comes to him or it does not. If it comes to him, he has gained without loss, and if it does not come to him, he is safe and has not lost anything. Please.