Working in Store Where Lottery Tickets Are Sold

21-1-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

I am working in a convenience store in Canada run by a company. Beside foods, milk, bread, these stores sell lottery by scratch tickets, and by a machine which draws numbers automatically. I am working as a cashier. My friend, who is the manager of this store, is encouraging me to apply to manage one of these stores. I need your advice (Fatwa) according to our Islamic Sharia; can I continue in this job to manage one of these stores or should I give up this job?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If the tickets that you mentioned in your question are given to buyers of products, and then, a drawing is done to choose a winner of a prize, then there is no harm –Allah willing –for you to work in such a store, whether you are a principal or an employee.

But, if such tickets are sold specifically for prizes and then the drawing is done, then this is forbidden, since it is a form of gambling.

As for your work in such a store, if you have no involvement the above mentioned transactions, you are permitted to work there. It is better and safer, however, to give up such work since you see this evil action and deal with its owner and organizers.

The jurists are of the view that it is disliked to deal with those whose wealth is mixed between what is lawful and what is forbidden.

Then, if you are a manager or a participant in the above work, you are not permitted to work there since it is a form of co-operation in sin and aggression and acceptance of forbidden dealings.

Allah knows best.