An Open Letter to Mr. Mohammed Abdul Salam Regarding His Appointment to the NLA

 

The Islamic View of Games of Chance and Lotteries Dear brother Mohammed Abdul Salam, Assalamu Alaykum, I hope you are well and in a good mood when you receive this message.

I wanted to talk to you about your recent appointment as the head of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) as a fellow Muslim.

 

Even though I am aware of the possible advantages of this position, I firmly feel that it goes against Islamic values.

As you may be aware, games of chance and lotteries are expressly condemned in the Quran and Hadith. The viewpoint of the Quran According to Allah (SWT) in the Quran: The sin of “Maisir” (gambling) is serious and causes a lot of bad things. (Quran 5:90).

As a serious sin, gambling and games of chance are expressly forbidden in this verse. The Viewpoint of Hadith Additionally, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) cautioned against playing games of chance: “The Prophet (SAW) said, ‘Whoever plays with dice, it is as if he has dipped his hand in the flesh and blood of a pig.'”

(Muslim Sahih) This hadith demonstrates the seriousness of playing games of chance by comparing it to an act that is prohibited and regarded as filthy in Islam.

The Islamic Justification Why, then, are games of chance like the lottery forbidden in Islam? There are multiple explanations:

1. Unlawful gain: In Islam, it is forbidden to win money through lottery or other games of chance without working hard or producing anything.

2. Exploitation: These practices frequently take advantage of people’s needs for quick money, which causes them to suffer both financially and emotionally.

3. Addiction: Playing games of chance can lead to an addiction that causes people to spend too much time and money, ignoring their obligations and relationships.

4. Inequality: Games of chance and lotteries can lead to unequal wealth distributions, which exacerbates social and economic inequality.

In conclusion Finally, I implore you to reevaluate your appointment to the NLA, dear brother Mohammed Abdul Salam. Providing for your family and yourself with haram wealth would undoubtedly cause more harm.

I respectfully ask that you turn down this position and look for a better, halal job that is consistent with Islamic values. May Allah lead us and keep us safe from the perils of chance games and lotteries. Ameen.

 

 

 

By Dr. Abdul-Muhsin Baafi (Islamic Scholar)