What is the ruling on the prizes that some gas stations give to those who purchase a specific amount of gasoline from them?
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The questioner : Shaykh, some gas stations place cards for ten or twenty liters of the gasoline a person fills up. When he reaches, for example, one hundred and fifty liters, or one thousand and five hundred, or two hundred and fifty, he collects these cards. If he reaches one hundred and fifty, he comes and gets a free car wash or free oil change in exchange for these cards. What is your opinion on this, Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Our opinion is that we give you a rule, may Allah bless you: everything is either a gain or a safety. There is no harm in it. Pay attention to the rule: in everything, either a person is safe and does not lose, or he gains. So there is no harm in this, because either good comes to him, and good is sought, or he incurs no loss. For example, if the station owner says, "Whoever fills up so many liters, I will wash his car for free," and he sells the gasoline at the same price as others, without increasing it, then if a person fills up this amount from him, he has not lost anything. Did he lose anything? No, but he gained the fact that his car is cleaned and washed. So this contract is valid. But some people say that this cuts off the livelihood of other stations that did not offer this prize. We say that the other stations are not prevented; if they wish, they can offer it. If this one washes after, for example, two hundred liters, the second one says, "I will wash after one hundred and ninety liters." In that case, it does not harm him. Yes, if it is assumed that people in this situation compete for this prize and harm one another, then the one in authority has the right to intervene in the matter and prohibit it. But if the matter becomes ordinary, there is no harm in it.
The questioner : Even if the remaining stations...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is nothing wrong with it. This is what we say, because we say that if the remaining stations complain, we tell them: "You lower your prices, and people will come to you." But as I told you, if there is a fear of competition among them and racing to this, then the one in authority has the right to...
The Shaykh : Our opinion is that we give you a rule, may Allah bless you: everything is either a gain or a safety. There is no harm in it. Pay attention to the rule: in everything, either a person is safe and does not lose, or he gains. So there is no harm in this, because either good comes to him, and good is sought, or he incurs no loss. For example, if the station owner says, "Whoever fills up so many liters, I will wash his car for free," and he sells the gasoline at the same price as others, without increasing it, then if a person fills up this amount from him, he has not lost anything. Did he lose anything? No, but he gained the fact that his car is cleaned and washed. So this contract is valid. But some people say that this cuts off the livelihood of other stations that did not offer this prize. We say that the other stations are not prevented; if they wish, they can offer it. If this one washes after, for example, two hundred liters, the second one says, "I will wash after one hundred and ninety liters." In that case, it does not harm him. Yes, if it is assumed that people in this situation compete for this prize and harm one another, then the one in authority has the right to intervene in the matter and prohibit it. But if the matter becomes ordinary, there is no harm in it.
The questioner : Even if the remaining stations...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is nothing wrong with it. This is what we say, because we say that if the remaining stations complain, we tell them: "You lower your prices, and people will come to you." But as I told you, if there is a fear of competition among them and racing to this, then the one in authority has the right to...