Working in a Charity funded by the National Lottery Fund

Answered by: Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza

Question

Salaam,

I have received a job offer for a local charity. Upon being successful for the job, it has come to my knowledge that part of my wages could be coming from the National Lottery Fund. I have 1 week to accept the offer and need an answer desperately. If it is haraam for me to take such money then I would rather leave this job and have faith that InshaAllah I will get something better.

If you require further information, then please do not hesitate to email me.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Answer:

Gambling is a great sin in Islam, and the money earned from it is considered unlawful (haram). The income for the National Lottery Fund comes from ticket sales, with 28% of the sales being donated to worthy causes. Therefore all the money coming from the funding is from a haram source.

Allah (swt) says:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ

“They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, “In them is a great sin and yet, some benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit.” (Surah al-Baqarah:219)

However, because the actual job you will be doing is lawful, as well as the majority of the source for the salary coming from a lawful source, it will be permissible for you to accept the job and not question which portion of the money contributed to your salary. [1]

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham