بِسْمِ ٱللّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
The community wants to raise funds in order to purchase a new hearse. A generous sponsor has given us an Umrah ticket of which we intend to have a draw at the end of the collection. A fortunate person from this draw will be awarded this Umrah ticket.
Is this permissible or not. Is this not a form of gambling?
An important rule of Fiqh is Al Umoor bi Maqaasidihaa (Al Ashbaah wan Nazaair) meaning matters are based on their objectives. The objective behind the collection is to raise funds to purchase a new hearse and the person to be awarded the Umrah ticket will be decided by the drawing of lots or raffling.
A contemporary scholar who is acclaimed as a leading authority in Islam, Mufti Muneebur Rahmaan Naeemi states, “Matters in which all participants have Istihqaaq (right to acquire) can be decided by drawing of lots or raffling.”
(Tafheemul Masaail, Vol. 4, chapter on Hajj)
Casting lots or raffling is permissible according to the Quraan and Sunnah. Allah Ta’ala states in the Holy Quraan,
“And you were not with them when they were casting their pens as to who should have guardianship of Mariam.”
(Surah Aale Imraan, Verse 44)
Hakimul Ummah Mufti Ahmed Yaar Khan Naeemi (Allah be pleased with him) writes in the commentary of this verse,
“Everybody in Masjidul Aqsa desired to be the guardian of Sayyida Maryam (may Allah be pleased with her), she being the daughter of their leader Hazrat Imraan. So they had to throw their pens in the river and he whose pen didn’t flow was to receive her guardianship. This was a form of throwing lots (raffling) which is not only permissible but sometimes is a wise act.”
(Noorul Irfaan)
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has stated, “If people knew the excellence of giving the Azaan and being in the first Saff and nothing besides casting lots was a cause for them to do so, they would certainly do so.”
(Mishkaat, pg. 62)
If raffling or casting lots was Haraam (prohibited), the Noble Messenger (Peace Be upon Him) would not have referred to it.
Allah and His Rasool know best.
Darul Iftaa
Islamic Lifestyle Solutions
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