Fatwa ID: 03439

Answered by: Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza​

Question

Assalamu Alaikum Respected Muftiyan E Kiram,

What would be the ruling with regard to benefiting from a scholarship that is funded by the lottery?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

The National Lottery has become a method by which gambling has become normalized in Britain. Gambling is a great sin in Islam, and the money earned from it is unlawful (haram).

Allah (SWT) says:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is a great sin and yet, some benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." (Surah al-Baqarah:219)

The income for the National Lottery Fund comes from ticket sales, with 28% of the sales being donated to worthy causes. Therefore all the money comes from a haram source. Therefore, it will not be permitted to take a scholarship from National Lottery Funding.

Please see the following link for more details related to taking money from the National Lottery Fund:

http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/lottery-funding/

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham