Working on a questionable project
Fatwa No: 88500

Question

I work in a project where our company give mobile services to customers. Roaming customers who spend more duration in using mobile will be given some tickets. The more the customer spends time while making calls he will get more tickets. After a scheduled date a draw will be done and the person who is selected in the draw will receive a big prize.(say bike or car).I am working in this project currently. What should I do? The project is almost over. Is my earning Halaal? Please note that I can't quit this job because this project is temporary and I will move to different project. Please let me know what I should do with the money I have earned. I am supporting this project very much.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

The purpose of the prizes offered by these companies is to advertise their exhibited articles.  Contemporary scholars differ regarding whether these prizes are permissible or prohibited.  The preponderant opinion, however, is that this is permissible on the condition that one buys his need with the same price that is in the market without any interest (without any additional charges).

There should be no cheating in this transaction as well.  It is suitable to mention the ruling of the Islaamic Fiqh Committee held in Doha given in the year 2003 regarding the prizes offered by the commercial shops.  The ruling stated: "There is no harm for the prize-offerers to benefit from the propagation of their product without monetary benefits by way of competitions, on the condition that the value of the prizes or part of it should not be from the competitors, and provided that the propagation is free from cheating the consumers."

Based on the above grounds, there is no harm, Insha' Allaah, to participate in the draw, provided the above conditions are met, otherwise it will be forbidden.

There is no harm in working on such a project in telecommunications, and the worker's earnings from such work are Halaal, Insha' Allaah.

Allaah knows best.

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