The Ruling on Prizes Offered Through Commercial Establishments
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
From Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, to the honorable brother, Muhammad.
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
I refer to your letter dated 12/2/1407 AH, which reads:
"We are attaching a copy of an advertisement. We kindly request that you inform us of the Islamic legal perspective regarding this advertisement. The text of the advertisement is:
Al-Oweis Commercial Complex
Number of Prizes
Value of the Prize
Total
First Prize
Second Prize
Third Prize
12
24
53
13000
7000
3500
156000
168000
185500
89 Prizes
509500
Riyals, the value of the prizes offered
Method of Entry:
Every customer of the Ghazali stores in the Al-Oweis Commercial Complex is granted two cards, entitling them to enter this grand and unique draw. It is also the right of every customer of any of the Ghazali stores in the Kingdom to obtain one card, entitling them to enter the same draw for the same prizes.
It is a unique opportunity.
The offer is valid for three months, after which the draw will be held in front of the Ghazali stores in the Al-Oweis markets, and the names of the winners will be announced in the newspapers). End of quote.
Answer:
I say—and success is from Allah—I inform you that this transaction is one of the forms of forbidden gambling, which is the maysir (gambling) mentioned in the statement of Allah the Exalted:[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 desist? [Al-Ma'idah: 90-91].
May Allah guide everyone to what brings Him pleasure.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The General President of the Departments of Research
Scientific, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
From Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, to the honorable brother, Muhammad.
Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
I refer to your letter dated 12/2/1407 AH, which reads:
"We are attaching a copy of an advertisement. We kindly request that you inform us of the Islamic legal perspective regarding this advertisement. The text of the advertisement is:
Al-Oweis Commercial Complex
Number of Prizes
Value of the Prize
Total
First Prize
Second Prize
Third Prize
12
24
53
13000
7000
3500
156000
168000
185500
89 Prizes
509500
Riyals, the value of the prizes offered
Method of Entry:
Every customer of the Ghazali stores in the Al-Oweis Commercial Complex is granted two cards, entitling them to enter this grand and unique draw. It is also the right of every customer of any of the Ghazali stores in the Kingdom to obtain one card, entitling them to enter the same draw for the same prizes.
It is a unique opportunity.
The offer is valid for three months, after which the draw will be held in front of the Ghazali stores in the Al-Oweis markets, and the names of the winners will be announced in the newspapers). End of quote.
Answer:
I say—and success is from Allah—I inform you that this transaction is one of the forms of forbidden gambling, which is the maysir (gambling) mentioned in the statement of Allah the Exalted:
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 May Allah guide everyone to what brings Him pleasure.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The General President of the Departments of Research
Scientific, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.