Why Buying Lottery Tickets Not Haram in Islam With Proofs
C.J Ahmed-20.05.2023
Lottery tickets are associated with gambling and luck and is regarded by many scholars to be haram.. Allah(swt) says,
“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.”(2:219)
When it comes to gambling, gambling is when you make a bet and then put some money like in a casino for an example and your chnces of winning is very low. Lottery tickets do have lear similarities to gambling in a casino but itf you lose, yu will lose only a very smallamount of money. There is evidenece that Abu Bakr (rali) betted with the disbelievers.
Abu Bakr (rali) when the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “Alif-Laam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated in the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious, within three to nine years…” [al-Room 30:1-4] was revealed. The Persians were the ones who had defeated the Romans; the Romans were Christians, People of the Book, whilst the Persians were Magians (Zoroastrians), who had no revealed Book. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “… And on that day, the believers (i.e., Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allaah to the Romans against the Persians).” [al-Room 30:4], because the believers wanted the Christians to defeat the Persians as the Christians were People of the Book and therefore closer to Islam than the Magians. Quraysh, on the other hand, wanted the Magians to defeat the Romans, and said, “The Romans cannot defeat the Persians, because the Persians are stronger than they are, and they do not believe in the Qur’aan.” So Abu Bakr bet them a number of camels that (the Romans) would prevail within seven years. The seven years passed and nothing had happened. Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allaah (sal), who told him, “Add two years, and increase the bet” (Tafseer at Tabari in his authentic Tafseer- Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 10/165, 166, no. 27876 and Tirmidhi- 3194 with an authentic chain of narration)
Even if we agree that lottery tickets are haram, still it is halal under necessity. Te following verses prove this,
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(Al Quran-16:115)
Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah
(Al Quran-5:3)
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidery nd small amounts but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabah due to a reason.
People nowadays buy lottery tickets for so many reasons like poverty. To bring some hops and happiness etc. Allah azza wa jal will judge a man according to his intention.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Lottery tickets are associated with gambling and luck and is regarded by many scholars to be haram.. Allah(swt) says,
“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.”(2:219)
When it comes to gambling, gambling is when you make a bet and then put some money like in a casino for an example and your chnces of winning is very low. Lottery tickets do have lear similarities to gambling in a casino but itf you lose, yu will lose only a very smallamount of money. There is evidenece that Abu Bakr (rali) betted with the disbelievers.
Abu Bakr (rali) when the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “Alif-Laam-Meem. The Romans have been defeated in the nearer land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious, within three to nine years…” [al-Room 30:1-4] was revealed. The Persians were the ones who had defeated the Romans; the Romans were Christians, People of the Book, whilst the Persians were Magians (Zoroastrians), who had no revealed Book. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “… And on that day, the believers (i.e., Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allaah to the Romans against the Persians).” [al-Room 30:4], because the believers wanted the Christians to defeat the Persians as the Christians were People of the Book and therefore closer to Islam than the Magians. Quraysh, on the other hand, wanted the Magians to defeat the Romans, and said, “The Romans cannot defeat the Persians, because the Persians are stronger than they are, and they do not believe in the Qur’aan.” So Abu Bakr bet them a number of camels that (the Romans) would prevail within seven years. The seven years passed and nothing had happened. Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allaah (sal), who told him, “Add two years, and increase the bet” (Tafseer at Tabari in his authentic Tafseer- Ibn Jareer in his Tafseer, 10/165, 166, no. 27876 and Tirmidhi- 3194 with an authentic chain of narration)
Even if we agree that lottery tickets are haram, still it is halal under necessity. Te following verses prove this,
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(Al Quran-16:115)
Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah
(Al Quran-5:3)
"Narrated Anas (Rali):
The Prophet (sal) allowed `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf and Az-Zubair bin Al-`Awwam to wear silk because they were suffering from an itch" .
(Sahih Al Bukhari)
In this hadith, the prophet(Sal) allowed Abdur Rahman bin auf and Zubair bin Awwam to wear silk because they had an itch. Generally wearing silk is haram for men except for embroidery nd small amounts but the prophet (Sal) allowed silk for the two sahabah due to a reason.
People nowadays buy lottery tickets for so many reasons like poverty. To bring some hops and happiness etc. Allah azza wa jal will judge a man according to his intention.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)