Iftaa' Department says some competitions are 'haram' to enter

Jordan

Published: 2018-12-02 13:06

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 14:39


Some competitions are considered to be a form of gambling. (Times Higher Education)
Some competitions are considered to be a form of gambling. (Times Higher Education)

The General Iftaa’ Department has issued a Fatwa prohibiting the participation in some competitions.

In response to a question submitted to its website by a concerned citizen, the Department said that “a competition winner is only allowed to accept a prize if it was donated by an outside source and was not bought by their fellow contestants.”

The Fatwa stated that “if the contestants contributed towards buying the prize, then accepting it is forbidden, as that is considered to be a form of gambling, which is prohibited (haram) in Islam.”

“Any competition where there is a 50% chance of winning or losing money is considered as a form of gambling,” the Fatwa said.

The Department noted that this has been clearly stated in the holy book and reaffirmed by the Prophet Muhammad.

If you're in doubt, you can submit a question to the Iftaa' Department by visiting their website