Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

lottery is haram and any money earned from it is also haram....

· 22 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1427 AH1 min readFatwa 14795English

Question

From my understanding, lottery is haram and any money earned from it is also haram. Recently I got lucky and I won the jackpot. Before I even won the lottery, I had a dream of building our community mosque, which is under way but it is no where near completion. With my money won from the lottery, I can easily complete the mosque project.

Part of me is reluctant to spend the lottery ( haram ) money in building the mosque ( halal ). Other part of me feel like, maybe it was my faith to get this money and invest it there.

I also want to invest in good deeds towards our Muslim community with the lottery money.

Ps. From my understandings and peoples word, I have learned that, there are no blessing from lottery money.

Answer

Gambling is haraam and expressly prohibited in the Quran.

"They question thee about strong drink and games of chance. Say: In both is great sin, and (some) utility for men; but the sin of them is greater than their usefulness. … (Quran 2:219)"

A musjid is the house of Allah and deserves the highest form of respect. To use haraam money is against the respect of the musjid. If haraam money is used for noble purposes, for example, building a musjid, that would decrease the abhorrence of haraam. That will also lead to people earning haraam and conducting acts of virtue. The much highly emphasised respect of earning halaal will be lost.

According to Shariah, it is compulsory to dispose of the haraam money. It must be given away to the poor and needy, without the intention of reward. The haraam money in your possession is poison. Get rid of it immediately. The musjid is the house of Allah and Allah is pure. He will create pure means for His house. Allah does not accept haraam.

And Allah Ta’ala knows best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Answered by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/14795
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-14795

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