Is it gambling if you have to pay to enter a competitive contest

CategoriesTrade, Business & All Things Money [646]

Fatwa ID: 03201

Answered by: Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy​

 

Question

Is it gambling if you have to pay to enter a competitive contest in which u have to play for a couple of months and the team that wins gets the cash prize

 

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

 

Answer:

 

If after paying for something a person is unsure of whether or not they will receive the item, this is considered to be gambling. In Islam, all forms of gambling are forbidden.

 

In the scenario provided, as each individual/team will be paying an entrance fee and may or may not win the prize at the end of the competition this will be considered gambling and will not be permissible.[1]

 

Only Allah Ta'ala knows best.

Written by Moulana Muddasser Dhedhy

Check and approve by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 


[1] (وَحَرُمَ شَرْطُ الْجُعْلِ مِنْ الْجَانِبَيْنِ) إلَّا إذَا أَدْخَلَ مُحَلِّلًا بِشُرُوطِهِ كَمَا مَرَّ فِي الْحَظْرِ (لَا) يَحْرُمُ (مِنْ أَحَدِ الْجَانِبَيْنِ) اسْتِحْسَانًا وَلَا يَجُوزُ الِاسْتِبَاقُ فِي غَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ كَالْبَغْلِ بِالْجُعْلِ، وَأَمَّا بِلَا جُعْلٍ فَيَجُوزُ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَتَمَامُهُ فِي الزَّيْلَعِيِّ (در المختار ج 10 ص 482-483. دار الكتب العلمية)

 

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