Ref: 013/08
March 2008
Q: Are sms competitions Jaaiz? According to you in which soorath will it be jaaiz? Do any muslim companies practise this jaaiz soorath today?Do you have examples? Do you have any information with proof regarding the different sooraths the service providers offer and which one of them is Jaaiz?
A:
According to our limited prima facie research on this issue the general premium sms competitions that are currently held are not permissible and amount to gambling which is totally prohibited. This is due to the fact that the company that gives the prizes also receives a part of the sms fees. If the competition is structured in such a manner that the company giving the prize does not benefit from the sms fee at all then the competition cannot be deemed to be Haraam.
Mufti Shafiq Jakhura
Iftaa Department, Darul Ihsan Islamic Services Centre
I concur with the answer:
Mufti Zubair Bayat
Ameer, Darul Ihsan Islamic Services Centre