National Lottery Is Haraam

Q: The National Lottery starts next month. can you please state the Shar'ee position of gambling supported by Qur'aan and Hadeeth, so that Muslim brothers
and sisters may become aware of the consequences of this sin?

A: Gambling falls within the category of major sins. verses were sent down touching upon the subject of gambling and in each of them it was condemned until finally it was completely forbidden by the following verse of Soorah Maa'idah:

O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, and idols and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination of Shaytaan’s work, so avoid them, so that you may get salvation. Shaytaan’s only desire is to precipitate enmity and hatred between you by means of intoxicant and gambling and bar you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then not abstain? (5: 90-91)

It is clear from this verse that gambling has in it the following evils:

It creates hatred and enmity amongst gamblers. Generally the loser will hold grudge and hatred in his heart for the winner who has deprived him of his wealth, which will result in feuds, killing, murder, etc. This is the material and worldly loss.
It prevents the gambler from remembrance of Allah Ta’aalaa and he becomes heedless of devotion to Allah Ta’aalaa. This is a spiritual and religious loss.

If gambling consists of both internal and external harms, a Mu'min will definitely abstain from it. Allaamah Zahabi rahmatullahi alayh states,
"It (gambling) is a form of devouring people's wealth unlawfully which Allah Ta’aalaa has prohibited in the following verse: And do not eat up the property of one another amongst yourselves wrongfully. (2 : 188)
And it falls within the Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam, "Indeed those men who interfere in the property of Allah (i.e. property of other people) without right, for them is Jahannam." And in Bukhaari, the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, "Whoever says to his companion, come let us gamble, then he should give Sadaqah." If only the statement (of gambling) establishes the giving of Sadaqah, then what about the gravity of the act (of gambling).

(Kitaab-ul-Kabaa'ir Page 88-89)

The Arabs in the days of ignorance had different forms of gambling. In modern times too, there are dozens of types of gambling of which a very common form
is lottery. It is therefore of utmost importance tabstain from such a grave sin. May Allah save us all from those things which brings His displeasure.

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