Ruling on Lottery

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu




Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) says:

Lotteries and raffles are other names for gambling, which is haraam according to the Qur’aan and Sunnah, and the consensus of the scholars.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling, and Al Ansaab (stone altars for sacrifices to idols, etc.),
and Al Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.

Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allaah and from As Salaah (the prayer). So, will you not then abstain?”
[al-Maa’idah 5:90-91]

It is not permissible for the Muslims to engage in any kind of gambling at all, whether the money collected from gambling is to spent on charitable projects or otherwise, because it is evil and forbidden, as
indicated by the general meaning of the evidence (daleel), and because the earnings derived from gambling are among the kinds of earnings which we must avoid and beware of. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/442)

Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen says:

When a person buys a ticket then if he is lucky – as he says – he gets a lot of money, comes under the heading of gambling.

This gambling – which is any transaction in which a person may win or lose, and he does not know whether he will be a winner or a loser – is all haraam.

Indeed, it is one of the major sins, and its abhorrent nature is no secret when one realizes that Allaah mentions it in conjunction with idol-worship, alcohol and azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision). Whatever benefits may be hoped for from gambling pale into insignificance beside the harm that it causes.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: ‘In them is a great sin, and (some) benefits for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.’”
[al-Baqarah 2:219]

Think about this aayah, where benefits (manaafi) are mentioned in the plural, and sin (ithm) is mentioned in the singular. Allaah did not say, “In it are many sins and (some) benefits for men”, rather He said (interpretation of the meaning): “a great sin”.
This is an indication that the benefits, no matter how numerous they may be, are insignificant when compared with this great sin; the great sin far outweighs them. So its sin is greater than its benefits, no matter what they are.

(Fataawa Islamiyyah, 4/441)

With regard to a person’s saying that he only gambles occasionally, this is like one who says that he only commits adultery occasionally, or he only steals occasionally, or he only lies occasionally. Does the fact that he commits that haraam action only rarely means that it is not a sin and that he is not exposed to the wrath of Allaah? How does he know that this rare action will not develop into something that is done more frequently, until it becomes a habit? In fact this is what usually happens, especially in the case of those who are afflicted by gambling.

He should fear Allaah and abstain from that which Allaah has forbidden to him.

What does Islam says about National Lottery ?

Lottery is a form of gambling and as such is haram in Islam. All forms of gambling: staking money on card games; horse racing; gambling machines etc. are all forbidden in Islam.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was against any form of gambling. All the companions of prophet (SAW) against any form of gambling. The four jurists declare that any form of gambling is strictly prohibited, and whomever gamble in any way are committing a major sin.

All this is based on strong ayah (verse) in the Holy Qur'an where Allah SAYS:" O who you believe! Intoxicants (e.g. alcohol) and gambling and idols and (lottery by) arrows are an abomination of Satan’s work, so avoid them so that you may get salvation. Satan's only desire is to create among you enmity and hatred by means of intoxicants and gambling and stop you from praying and remembering Allah. Will you not then stop?
(Sura Ma'idah 5:90,91)

There is also a hadith in Bukhari, where the prophet says that anyone who even asks someone to come gambling should immediately give charity as compensation for inviting to a bad action.

But why Allah has forbidden Gambling ?

1. Gambling is addictive and many people stake their hard-earned wages in forms of gambling and lose their wealth and even homes, while their families go hungry. This leads to many social ills, including the break up of families, and Islam is about building families and providing for them, not neglecting them and destroying them.

2. In all forms of gambling, including the National Lottery, only a very small proportion of people wins. The majority is losers. In effect gambling takes money from the vast majority of people

3. Intense jealousy begins as losers look enviously at the winners. This causes hatred among people, and Islam is about creating love and brotherhood not, not hatred.

4. Gamblers spend much time and effort in dreaming " what I would do if I won a million", longing and wishing that time and effort could be better spent in looking after their families and remembering Allah.

5. Islam wants you to rely on ALLAH and earn your income with your feet firmly planed on the ground, and not rely on dreams and the National LOTTERY! This is a form of minor SHIRK (relying on other than ALLAH)

6. Allah is our creator and He knows the best, and in his wisdom He has made all forms of gambling forbidden for us and as Muslims we place our trust in Him.

more...

What about selling National LOTTERY Tickets ?


Shopkeepers or any persons selling items for use in gambling, which includes lottery tickets, are committing a major sin. This is from the Islamic Fiqh (juristic) ruling that "that which leads to haram is itself
haram."


Is it not true that ALLAH chooses the National Lottery Winners ?

As Muslims we believe that nothing happens in the universe without the will of Allah.
His knowledge covers everything: He knows the past, the present and the future. Therefore, He knows who will win all national lotteries and He knows when you and I will die. But He does not force anyone to do the forbidden or the good. He tests you to see what you would do under certain circumstances. But it is you who, out of your will, and freedom of choice, decide to spend $1on a national lottery ticket, and not on your family etc. And it is you who must pay the price on the day of judgement for the decisions you made on Earth (as indeed we all will).

Many Muslim Country including Pakistan and Egypt have National Lottery?

Muslim does not decide on what is haram (allowed or forbidden) on the basis of what happens in Muslim countries. Our right or wrong comes directly from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. In Pakistan government has not implemented Shariah (ISLAMIC LEGAL SYSTEM). That does not mean it is now Islamic to live without Shariah. Similarly in Egypt, the government allows nightclubs and nearly naked belly dancers. This does not mean that they are also accepted in Islam. Indeed they are not!

I'm hardly a practicing Muslim anyway:

I do not pray or fast.

One more sin will not harm me?

You cannot be more wrong. Anyone committing a sin irrespective of how sinful he already is is harming himself. Every sin and every good deed will be accounted for on the Day o judgement. The more sins you stop committing the greater you win the battle for your soul. It IS WRONG FOR ANY MUSLIM to ever fill that he is too much of a sinful person for Allah to ever forgive him. On this subject Allah says" Were the son of Adam to come to me with sins reaching up to the sky I would still forgive him" Make that change from this moment. Ask for Allah's forgiveness and start practicing.

What does Judaism and Christianity say about the Lottery/ National Lottery?

The Bible does warn us, however, to stay away from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10; Hebrews 13:5). Scripture also encourages us to stay away from attempts to "get rich quick" (Proverbs 13:11; 23:5; Ecclesiastes 5:10). Gambling most definitely is focused on the love of money and undeniably tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches

Read More on What Bible says about Gambling / Lottery / Casino's
http://www.middleto wnbiblechurch. org/christia/ lottery.htm
http://www.gotquest ions.org/ gambling- sin.html

Sources-
http://www.witness- pioneer.org/ vil/Articles/ misc/lottery. html
http://www.islam- qa.com/index. php?ref=6476&ln=eng


Salaam Walekum
Adil Khan
Bombay.


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