The ruling on lotteries

Question

Question: (1) Nowadays in India various state governments have started lotteries with various prizes, and they draw them with the utmost honesty and also distribute them. If such a prize falls to a Muslim, may it be spent on construction or not? (2) Also, may this money be spent on some Islamic madrasa or mosque or not? (3) Also, what is the ruling on spending this money on one’s own personal needs?

Answer

This series of prize lotteries is contrary to the Sacred Law; one must never take part in it. If one has taken part by mistake and received money, it should be given away as sadaqa, without the intention of reward (thawab), to the poor and needy, among whom destitute students are also included; it should not be spent on a mosque, a madrasa or one’s own personal affairs.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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