Selling raffle tickets for diabetes charity
18-11-2004 | IslamWeb
Question:
I have received raffle tickets from a diabetes charity. Basically I sell the tickets and the money is raised to help advise and cure the diabetes. The money raised from the raffle tickets will part pay for the prizes and part for the research. Please could you advise me and why it is Haraam or Halaal? I would be grateful if you could respond as soon as possible.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
It is not permissible to sell lottery tickets even if the purpose is to spend the money in charitable fields. Its money is forbidden and Allaah does not accept it. The Prophet 
said: "Allaah is Tayyib (which implies purity) and does not accept anything other than what is pure." [Muslim] The reason why it is forbidden to sell lottery ticket is that it is gambling, and this is forbidden as Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), gambling, Al-Ansaab, and Al-Azlaam (arrows for seeking luck or decision) are an abomination of Satan's handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful. Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allaah and from prayer. So will you not desist?}[5:90-91]. Therefore you have to repent to Allaah immediately and give up selling these tickets. You have also to get rid of the money that you gained for this purpose by spending it in charitable fields with the intention of getting rid of this forbidden money, and not with the intention of getting closer to Allaah, as Allaah is Tayyib (which implies purity) and does not accept anything other than what is pure, and thus you spending this money will not be a means of bringing you closer to Allaah, but rather save you from His wrath.
Allaah knows best.