lottery and the other luck games

born_again

Salaam

Do you think that lottery and similar luck games (e.g. horse race) where money is involved are haram?

I'm asking this because in PRL Lane's description of "arrows of chance" looks a bit like the lottery games we play nowadays.

For those who always wanted to know what "arrows of chance / gaming arrows" were. Lane gives quite a detailed description of what was involved. I'll explain my take on it a group of 10 (or however many there are) buys an animal on credit (e.g. camel), they slaughter the animal and divide it into 10 portions (equaling the number of people in the group). They assign a number to each portion of meat, e.g. portion 1 is marked 1, portion 2 is marked 2, portion 3 is marked 3 etc up to 10. They take 10 arrow heads (no feathers) and mark each arrow head with a number, arrow head 1 marked 1 (this corresponds to meat portion 1), arrow head 2 marked 2 (this corresponds to meat portion 2) etc up to 7, arrows 8, 9 and 10 are left with no mark. They assign a person to shuffle the arrow heads and distribute them to the 10 players. If someone gets arrow 1 they take meat portion 1, if someone gets arrow 2 they take meat portion 2 and so on. Whoever gets the unmarked arrows (3 people in this example) have to pay the entire value of the slaughtered animal, that was initially bought on credit.

Peace...

beatnik

Yep, gambling with money is a sin for sure, its an irresponsible activity and unjust. Money should be used to make your life or someone elses life better for our duration on this planet, and it should be earned properly, any other method is bound to descend you into sin on a much larger scale. Its the same with alcohol, sure its ok in small quantities, but a continuation of it will just lead to drunken behaviour sooner or later, among other things.

Of course I dont even like the whole concept of money to begin with, but this is the kind of society I'm living in, so I have to deal with it, but the trick is to using it wisely. My dad's been playing the lottery for years, and he's never won anything big, just imagine if he hadnt have played but put that money away everyday, I'd probably have enough to buy a mansion!

unknownuser

Peace

The house always win. the one who puts up the gambling of this kind always leave as the sure winner. It is unfair, and definately not right by any means. Look at how much trouble it causes, how can you be in doubt, use your senses )

Riz

"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling.
Say ?In them is great harm, and a benefit for mankind; but their harm is greater than their benefit.?
And they ask you how much are they to give,
Say ?The excess.?
It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think. " 2219

Just like alcohol, its never banned but its not highly looked upon.

Hope that helps

Edit I should add that it should still be avoided when at all possible, but its not outright banned like eating swine. I play poker with friends every once in a while, but its only a form of a social gathering. Its nothing serious. One of my friends from the group started playing poker online and got a bit addicted. So just as the Quran says, in it is a benefit but the harm is greater. So give up the excess so you don't get addicted and ruin your life.

jonny_k

"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling.
Say ?In them is great harm, and a benefit for mankind; but their harm is greater than their benefit.?
And they ask you how much are they to give,
Say ?The excess.?
It is thus that God clarifies for you the revelations that you may think. " 2219

Just like alcohol, its never banned but its not highly looked upon.

Khi- U translated the verse incorrectly
They ask you about intoxicants and gambling say, "In them there is a gross sin(ITHMUN KABEER), and some benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit." They also ask you what to give to charity say, "The excess." GOD thus clarifies the revelations for you, that you may reflect,
The meaning of the Arabic word 'ithm' is 'sin'. U also ignored another verse
O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games of chance are abominations of the devil; you shall avoid them(FA AJTANIBUH), that you may succeed.
Thus it is command of GOD 2 abstain from it n so it's logically forbidden.
GOD Bless!

salikahDC

O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games of chance are abominations of the devil; you shall avoid them(FA AJTANIBUH), that you may succeed.
Thus it is command of GOD 2 abstain from it n so it's logically forbidden.
GOD Bless!

Salaam,

If you are going to quote that statement, then you might as well include this verse to add some context.

591 The devil only wants to cause strife between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the contact-method. Will you be deterred?

From all of these verses, I see no proof that gambling and alcohol will give us a one way ticket to hell. Their use has everything to do with our behavior in this world and our behavior, of course, has a huge effect on the hereafter. So I interpret alcohol and gambling as it is presented in the Qur'an Sure, there are some benefits in these activities, but they are still mechanisms that cause great harm in people's lives. And on top of it all, you can't participate in Salat while you are intoxicated. So do your best to stay away from them. Since you know the potential harm and danger in participating in these activities, will you not abstain? Why wouldn't you....

jonny_k

Salaam,

If you are going to quote that statement, then you might as well include this verse to add some context.

591 The devil only wants to cause strife between you through intoxicants and gambling, and to repel you away from remembering God and from the contact-method. Will you be deterred?

From all of these verses, I see no proof that gambling and alcohol will give us a one way ticket to hell. Their use has everything to do with our behavior in this world and our behavior, of course, has a huge effect on the hereafter. So I interpret alcohol and gambling as it is presented in the Qur'an Sure, there are some benefits in these activities, but they are still mechanisms that cause great harm in people's lives. And on top of it all, you can't participate in Salat while you are intoxicated. So do your best to stay away from them. Since you know the potential harm and danger in participating in these activities, will you not abstain? Why wouldn't you....

Khi- The verse does not prohibit alcohol or any other mind covering substance as medicine if u mean tht. However it is clearly forbidden tht we use them 2 GET DRUNK n thts wht the context of the verse says. U cannot drink alcohol or take any other drug 4 enjoyment n i was getting the impression tht this was wht this thread was going 2. The verse says 'faajtanibu' meaning 'abstain' n this is a command. GOD Bless!

ammarb87

Yeah its haram because you dont earn the money urself .. I mean how could u take money which u dont earn urself (haha taking money from parents is a different issue) ...

shamsul-arefin

Quran doesnt specify that it can only be used for medicine and not for fun or pleasure. So I guess its still open to individuals how they wanna use it. But one should focus that no harm is done thru it..

peace

jonny_k

Yeah its haram because you dont earn the money urself .. I mean how could u take money which u dont earn urself (haha taking money from parents is a different issue) ...

Khi- Salam. Im sorry but ive 2 disgree with ur pt here. Tht is not the reason y it is forbidden. There is NO prohibition of taking money which u dont earn. For example if somebody likes 2 give us something inc. money out of his own free will we have every right to take it. GOD prohibits gambling not coz we cant have money which we havent earned but COZ IT LEADS 2 ADDICTION N HENCE CAUSES GREAT HARM N LOSS IN THE END. Millions of ppl loose their homes n families coz they get addicted 2 gambling. It's highly addictive n once a peron is into it he cant get out. Thts y it is prohibited. GOD Bless!

jonny_k

Quran doesnt specify that it can only be used for medicine and not for fun or pleasure. So I guess its still open to individuals how they wanna use it. But one should focus that no harm is done thru it..

peace

Khi- Salam. I disagree. Quran says 'FAJTANIBU...' which means 'abstain' n is clearly a command '...la'alakum tuflihhoon' meaning 'so tht u may succeed'. Therefore intoxicants n gambling r prohibited. Period! How can we let individuals decided as 2 how much posion they shld take??! GOD Bless!

Islamik

Peace

I think it's more of a motive issue. What is the reason you want to gamble? Is it to help your family pay bills, or get more cash to spend on materialistic things? Also, the addiction part, where it basically steers your life, thus preoccupation with this activity leaves you with less time for ALLAH.

Peace

jonny_k

Peace

I think it's more of a motive issue. What is the reason you want to gamble? Is it to help your family pay bills, or get more cash to spend on materialistic things? Also, the addiction part, where it basically steers your life, thus preoccupation with this activity leaves you with less time for ALLAH.

Peace

Khi- SAlam. If u meant the underlined phrase in the ironicalsense then i obviously agree with u. GOD Bless!

unknownuser

PLeace,

Peace

I think it's more of a motive issue. What is the reason you want to gamble? Is it to help your family pay bills, or get more cash to spend on materialistic things? Also, the addiction part, where it basically steers your life, thus preoccupation with this activity leaves you with less time for ALLAH.

Peace

Khi- SAlam. If u meant the underlined phrase in the ironicalsense then i obviously agree with u. GOD Bless!

Gambling is NOT A CURE to pay ones' bills but a lust for money. Get a job or any work to establish "permanent and/or temporary" flowing income. If one looses at gambling, one pays more bills. Gambling is a chance, job/work is not.

Islamik

PLeace,

Peace

I think it's more of a motive issue. What is the reason you want to gamble? Is it to help your family pay bills, or get more cash to spend on materialistic things? Also, the addiction part, where it basically steers your life, thus preoccupation with this activity leaves you with less time for ALLAH.

Peace

Khi- SAlam. If u meant the underlined phrase in the ironicalsense then i obviously agree with u. GOD Bless!

Gambling is NOT A CURE to pay ones' bills but a lust for money. Get a job or any work to establish "permanent and/or temporary" flowing income. If one looses at gambling, one pays more bills. Gambling is a chance, job/work is not.

Peace

Sure it's not a quick, cuz it's a game of chance. But, it can be a temporary fix. A lot of people for whatever reason, may not have the education to acquire a job, or may not have the time to wait to accumalate $.

I don't condone it when used for selfish reasons, but I understand and someone exhausting all lawful options to do what it takes to support their family.

Peace

unknownuser

Peace Islamik.

Peace

I think it's more of a motive issue. What is the reason you want to gamble? Is it to help your family pay bills, or get more cash to spend on materialistic things? Also, the addiction part, where it basically steers your life, thus preoccupation with this activity leaves you with less time for ALLAH.

Khi- SAlam. If u meant the underlined phrase in the ironicalsense then i obviously agree with u. GOD Bless!

Gambling is NOT A CURE to pay ones' bills but a lust for money. Get a job or any work to establish "permanent and/or temporary" flowing income. If one looses at gambling, one pays more bills. Gambling is a chance, job/work is not.

Sure it's not a quick, cuz it's a game of chance. But, it can be a temporary fix. A lot of people for whatever reason, may not have the education to acquire a job, or may not have the time to wait to accumalate $.

I don't condone it when used for selfish reasons, but I understand and someone exhausting all lawful options to do what it takes to support their family.

A "chance" is not a temporary fix. If one has the money to gamble, I'm sure one has the money to pay ones' bills and support ones' family. Besides, a temporary fix can be borrowed investment, from family members, friends, acquaintances, banks, credit cards, etc., with the undrestanding of repaying them back in due course. In this way one doesn't LOOSE their money as in a "CHANCE/GAMBLING". There's no excuse of finding a job/work regardless of the amount of return. In other words, an engineer or a doctor being unemployed and having financial problems can very well get a job of a janitor, if that's what it takes to support your family and bills.

Btw and FYI, I was once a great gambler in Las Vegas and have known many personalities at several casinos. I survived but almost all of them, both rich and poor, succumbed to their financial greeds including their loved ones.

I've been off and on from employment, for longer periods and hardships, but guess what, I've always paid my bills and supported my family without having to "gamble". It takes courage and responsibility my friend. Be HE Glorified.

Take care and GOD bless.

Islamik