Various people and organisations hold lotteries to give others the chance to perform the holy Umrah. Offers of a free Umrah in particular appeal to many. But many people wonder how far it is lawful under Sharia to take part in such a lottery, or to give someone the chance to perform Umrah through one.
Islamic law distinguishes between choosing someone by drawing lots and awarding a prize by chance in exchange for money. Not every lottery is haram. Some lotteries count as gambling, or qimar, while others are simply a method of selection, known in the terminology of fiqh as qur’ah. The ruling differs depending on how the lottery works and where the money comes from.
The forbidden lottery
If money is collected from the participants and pooled to send the winner on Umrah, it is haram because it is gambling. Allah says: “O you who believe! Intoxicants, gambling, idols and divining arrows are an abomination, the work of Satan. So avoid them.” (Surah Al-Ma’idah: 90)
If the winner performs Umrah with money gathered this way, the other participants’ money is not lawful for them; it must be returned to its rightful owners.
The permitted lottery
If a person or organisation holds a free draw with its own money and gives someone the chance to perform Umrah, it is permissible. This is not gambling but a way of giving a gift. The ownership of the money and the terms of its use must, however, comply with Sharia.
Aishah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) intended to go on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives, and he would take with him the one whose name came out. (Sahih al-Bukhari: 2593)
This hadith shows that it is lawful to use qur’ah, or drawing lots, to choose someone from among people who have an equal right or are equally suitable.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report