The Ruling on Prizes That Companies Set Aside to Promote Their Products
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The following is a letter that reached the program from the listener (A. M. H.) from Riyadh. Our brother began his letter by saying: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, may Allah reward you, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
I have read your Eminence’s fatwa, a copy of which is attached. It concerns the fact that some institutions and commercial establishments publish advertisements in newspapers and elsewhere offering prizes to those who buy from their displayed goods, which entices people to buy from this establishment rather than another, and so on, and that this is a type of gambling that is forbidden by the Shari'ah.
My question is: Are the gas stations that provide a card to those who buy gasoline for their car, on which it is written: “When you obtain cards for a quantity of three thousand liters of gasoline, you are entitled to have your car washed with us for free,” also a type of gambling that is forbidden by the Shari'ah, like the previous case?
We ask you to provide us with information, may Allah reward you.
In fact, he attached an advertisement, and he also attached a copy of the fatwa that was issued by you, Your Eminence.
The Shaykh: Read the advertisement.
The presenter: If you see this?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: A certain station for car services and fuels in such-and-such a place, to our valued customers: request a card based on the amount spent on your car. When you obtain cards for a quantity of three thousand liters of gasoline, you are entitled to have your car washed with us for free. The name of the station and its location are mentioned.
Answer:
This requires consideration and needs reflection and study; because it may lead to boycotting other establishments that do not advertise this advertisement, causing disruption to them, resulting in the same situation that occurs with the merchants’ advertisement that the questioner referred to.
So the safest course in such a case is not to act on this advertisement and not to pay attention to it; because it may cause harm to others that is known. As for asserting that it is forbidden, that requires further attention in another session, if Allah wills.
The presenter: If Allah wills, so I will leave this letter with you, and what was attached to it?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The following is a letter that reached the program from the listener (A. M. H.) from Riyadh. Our brother began his letter by saying: In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
Your Eminence, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz, may Allah reward you, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings, and after that:
I have read your Eminence’s fatwa, a copy of which is attached. It concerns the fact that some institutions and commercial establishments publish advertisements in newspapers and elsewhere offering prizes to those who buy from their displayed goods, which entices people to buy from this establishment rather than another, and so on, and that this is a type of gambling that is forbidden by the Shari'ah.
My question is: Are the gas stations that provide a card to those who buy gasoline for their car, on which it is written: “When you obtain cards for a quantity of three thousand liters of gasoline, you are entitled to have your car washed with us for free,” also a type of gambling that is forbidden by the Shari'ah, like the previous case?
We ask you to provide us with information, may Allah reward you.
In fact, he attached an advertisement, and he also attached a copy of the fatwa that was issued by you, Your Eminence.
The Shaykh: Read the advertisement.
The presenter: If you see this?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: A certain station for car services and fuels in such-and-such a place, to our valued customers: request a card based on the amount spent on your car. When you obtain cards for a quantity of three thousand liters of gasoline, you are entitled to have your car washed with us for free. The name of the station and its location are mentioned.
Answer:
This requires consideration and needs reflection and study; because it may lead to boycotting other establishments that do not advertise this advertisement, causing disruption to them, resulting in the same situation that occurs with the merchants’ advertisement that the questioner referred to.
So the safest course in such a case is not to act on this advertisement and not to pay attention to it; because it may cause harm to others that is known. As for asserting that it is forbidden, that requires further attention in another session, if Allah wills.
The presenter: If Allah wills, so I will leave this letter with you, and what was attached to it?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.