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Fatwa CenterLottery winner
Question
One of my relative has got a huge lottery prize in an international lottery contest. He actually didn't buy the ticket but his friend bought the ticket in his name. Now my relative wants to know whether it is Halaal for him to get the huge money he had got. Can he use it for his personal purposes? Is it Halaal for him? Please explain.
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.
Lottery is gambling which is prohibited by Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al Ansaab, and Al Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Satan's handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.}[5:90]. Therefore, the money that is obtained from lottery is forbidden. It is incumbent upon whoever receives any money from it – even if he/she did not participate in it - to spend it on general benefits of Muslims, like helping the poor and destitute people, building Islaamic schools, erecting hospitals for the treatment of Muslims and so on, just in order to get rid of the forbidden money.
Allaah knows best.
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