A Form of Giving a Prize to the Buyer

Question

Question: Zayd is a merchant. To expand his trade he sets prizes on certain coupons. For example, if someone buys soap, he gives a coupon with it bearing a number, and says: “If you collect coupons with fifty numbers, or with numbers up to one hundred and forty, you will receive a bicycle or a radio as a prize.” Is it permissible to take this prize, and will it be permissible to strive to collect these numbers?

Answer

Although giving a prize to a buyer and his taking it is in itself correct, when such announcements are published it often happens that the purchase of the actual item is no longer the aim; rather, the concern becomes collecting the numbers.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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