Drawing for cars with purchase coupons is a form of gambling
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question: In our city, there is a cooperative association that displayed a car at its entrance. The arrangement is that anyone who purchases goods from them at the regular price of one hundred dirhams or more is given, free of charge, a numbered coupon printed with the words "Value: ten dirhams." A drawing is later held, in which the "lucky winner," as they say, wins the displayed car. My question is:
1. What is the ruling on participating in this drawing with the coupon given without payment, where the participant loses nothing if he does not win?
2. What is the ruling on purchasing from that association with the intention of obtaining the aforementioned coupon in order to be able to participate in the drawing?
Since the people here, including the educated, are hesitant and confused about this matter, I ask you, may Allah protect you, to answer both questions, supported by whatever evidence is available, so that Muslims may be clear in their religion. May Allah reward you with good, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Answer: This transaction is considered gambling; it is the maysir (gambling) that Allah has forbidden, as mentioned in His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:90] Indeed, Satan only wants to cause between you hostility and hatred through alcohol and gambling, and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not stop? [Al-Ma'idah: 90-91].
Therefore, it is obligatory for the authorities and the scholars in your city and elsewhere to denounce this transaction and warn against it, because it involves contradicting the Book of the Mighty Allah and consuming the wealth of people through falsehood. May Allah grant everyone guidance and steadfastness upon the truth.
1. What is the ruling on participating in this drawing with the coupon given without payment, where the participant loses nothing if he does not win?
2. What is the ruling on purchasing from that association with the intention of obtaining the aforementioned coupon in order to be able to participate in the drawing?
Since the people here, including the educated, are hesitant and confused about this matter, I ask you, may Allah protect you, to answer both questions, supported by whatever evidence is available, so that Muslims may be clear in their religion. May Allah reward you with good, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Answer: This transaction is considered gambling; it is the maysir (gambling) that Allah has forbidden, as mentioned in His 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, so avoid it that you may be successful.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنصَابُ وَالأَزْلاَمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ Therefore, it is obligatory for the authorities and the scholars in your city and elsewhere to denounce this transaction and warn against it, because it involves contradicting the Book of the Mighty Allah and consuming the wealth of people through falsehood. May Allah grant everyone guidance and steadfastness upon the truth.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.