Is charging a dollar for charity guessing games at community events considered gambling in Islam?

Assalamualikum,
My community holds monthly functions where all of us can get together. In these functions what happens sometimes is, either a cake (or similar) is taken around, members of the community have to guess the weight, or candies in a jar where we have to guess the amount, or a wrapped up object where we have to guess what it is. Each guess costs a dollar, which is for charity or the benefit of our community. At the end the correct guesser wins the object (cake/candies etc.), which costs more than a dollar. Sometimes the winner donates it to back to the organization (but not always). Is this permissible in Islam, or is it a form of gambling? Please explain answer if possible. Jazakumullah.
Answer
Answer

In the name of Allah the All-Knowing

The amusement of the “dollar for a guess” game which you have descried is a form of gambling, and is Haraam (forbidden) in Islam. Gambling is the act in which one is playing for stakes in the hope of winning (which includes the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize, be it monetary or non-monetary).

Allah the Exalted says in the Noble Quran:

“O, You who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination, of Satan’s handwork: shun such (abomination), (so) that you may prosper”. [Surah Al-Ma’idah., verse 90]

And Allah knows best

10th September 2005

————————————–
Mufti Abubakr Karolia
Batley, U.K
Founder of the “Islamic Foundation for Theology and Research” (I.F.T.A.R)

Original Source Link

This answer was collected from MuftiSays.com, based in London (UK). It is one of the fruits of Darul Uloom London. Many ‘ulama are involved in answering the Q&A on the site, including: Shaikul Hadeeth Mufti Umar Farooq Sahib, Mufti Saifur Rahman Sahib, Mufti Abdullah Patel Sahib, Maulana Qamruz Zaman Sahib, Mufti Abu Bakr Karolia Sahib.

Tags: gambling, haraam, Quran

Link