Shortened Question:
Is it permissible to keep prizes won by answering quiz questions on radio etc.?
Question:
Assalamoalikum
I want to ask about permissibility of the prizes won in the following two scenarios i.e.
- Firstly if we receive a gift in the shape of a big prize money or items such as laptop computers and mobile phones etc. by answering quiz questions asked via radio, tv, and social sites like twitter etc.
- Secondly if we purchase an item and with it we receive a raffle to enter into a draw and we win a large sum of cash or a big item like cars or air travel tickets.
Please highlight us about this ruling in terms of Shariah for these scenarios as we are coming across these things a lot these days.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Gambling (Maisir or Qimār) can be defined as a deal in which even after paying for something there is still uncertainty in receiving the item paid for. One could either receive it or not receive it. Consequently, there is a chance of him gaining something or of him losing everything that he had paid.[1]
In principle every form of gambling is deemed impermissible in Shariah. However, if the competition is one sided whereby the competitor does not contribute anything in order to attain a prize then it is permissible.[2]
The prizes that are obtained in both the examples quoted in your query are permissible.
However, we discourage participation in competition over the radio and the TV because of the many evils that are generally associated with these media programmes.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Saeed Ahmed Golaub
Islamic Solutions
Jamaica
[1](قَوْلُهُ لِأَنَّهُ يَصِيرُ قِمَارًا) لِأَنَّ الْقِمَارَ مِنْ الْقَمَرِ الَّذِي يَزْدَادُ تَارَةً وَيَنْقُصُ أُخْرَى، وَسُمِّيَ الْقِمَارُ قِمَارًا لِأَنَّ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ الْمُقَامِرَيْنِ مِمَّنْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ مَالُهُ إلَى صَاحِبِهِ، وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَسْتَفِيدَ مَالَ صَاحِبِهِ وَهُوَ حَرَامٌ بِالنَّصِّ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 403
[2]فإن شرطوا لذلك جعلاً، فإن شرطوا الجعل من الجانبين فهو حرام.
وصورة ذلك: أن يقول الرجل لغيره: تعال حتى نتسابق، فإن سبق فرسك، أو قال: إبلك أو قال: سهمك أعطيك كذا، وإن سبق فرسي، أو قال: إبلي، أو قال: سهمي أعطني كذا، وهذا هو القمار بعينه؛ وهذا لأن القمار مشتق من القمر الذي يزداد وينقص، سمي القمار قماراً؛ لأن كل واحد من المقامرين ممن يجوز أن يذهب ماله إلى صاحبه، ويستفيد مال صاحبه، فيزداد مال كل واحد منهما مرة وينتقص أخرى، فإذا كان المال مشروطاً من الجانبين كان قماراً، والقمار حرام، ولأن فيه تعليق تمليك المال بالخطر، وإنه لا يجوز. المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني (5/ 323)
