Fatwa #144394 August 2006South Africa
is it permissible to enter a competition where you have to buy a ticket?
Question
is it permissible to enter a competition where you have to buy a ticket?
what about competitions where you enter after having bought goods from a store?
i recall that Cii had a competition that the resident Mufti Saheb said it is permissible to enter, as the (competition) goods were sponsored by someone. kindly comment.
what about winning some goods after having bought something, without your knowledge of entering any competition?
Answer
It is not permissible to buy a ticket specifically to enter a competition. That is gambling. It is permissible to be part of a competition after purchasing goods from a store. In this instance, one is not paying specifically to enter the competition. I do not know the details about the Cii competition.
If one did not pay a fee to enter the competition, the prize will be permissible.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai