Q233 :Could you please tell me whether the following
practices fall within forbidden gambling: (a) Gifts offered by shops
and stores through a draw of envelopes or raffles; and (b) Selling
one’s articles or belongings through raffles. May I say that this is
the quickest way of selling one’s belongings when one is leaving the
country. The price is divided into a number of portions which are sold
as raffle tickets and a draw is made to determine who gets the
article.
A233 : There is no doubt that all forms of gambling
are forbidden. However, the first practice, as I understand it, may be
no more than a promotional activity by shopkeepers and department
stores. If you go to a shop to buy an article, say for 80 riyals and
the shopkeeper tells you if you increase your purchase to 100 riyals or
more, you will be entitled to draw an envelope which gives you a small
gift which he does not specify, you have a choice to make. When you
increase your purchase, you are not actually paying money in order to
draw an envelope, or a raffle, but you are buying an additional article
at its normal price. It is true that the shopkeeper does this in order
to persuade you to increase your purchase, but ultimately the choice is
yours. You are getting your article at their real value. You are not
buying the right to draw an envelope, but you are only being persuaded
to buy something which you may not have bought at that particular time.
You will not buy something which is of no use to you. I feel that this
is simply a promotional exercise which gives you a little extra over
what you have bought. Whatever envelope you draw will give you a little
gift. It is true that some gifts will be more valuable than others, but
then it is merely a gift and you cannot choose your gifts at any time.
As for the other practice, I am afraid it is a form of gambling. People
buy these raffles and only one of them gets the article. The others
lose their money. It is true that the seller receives only the fair
price of the article, but what about those who lost their money. They
are buying thin air. This is gambling or, at least a forbidden
practice.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )