Answered by: Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza
Question
Assalamu Alaikum Respected Muftiyan E Kiram,
What would be the ruling with regard to benefiting from a scholarship that is funded by the lottery?
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
The National Lottery has become a method by which gambling has become normalized in Britain. Gambling is a great sin in Islam, and the money earned from it is unlawful (haram).
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)
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 comes from a haram source. Therefore, it will not be permitted to take a scholarship from National Lottery Funding.
Please see the following link for more details related to taking money from the National Lottery Fund:
http://daruliftabirmingham.co.uk/lottery-funding/
Only Allah knows best
Written by Alimah Nasima Umm Hamza
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham