It Is Not Permissible to Call a Bet a Prize in Islam – Shar‘i Clarification
(Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masā’il – Issues of Buying & Selling, vol. 1, p. 387)
❖ Question:
In Islam, betting (sharṭ/qīmār) is ḥarām. Some people say: “We do not call it a bet, but rather a prize, because in it the winner receives a reward, while a bet is when both the loser and winner suffer loss.”
What is the Shar‘i ruling on this statement?
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh, ammā ba‘d:
In light of Islamic teachings, merely changing the name of a prohibited act does not make it permissible.
✿ Explanation:
- If someone says: “We do not call it a bet, but a prize, since the winner benefits,” this is incorrect and contrary to reality.
- The truth is that:
A ḥarām bet does not become permissible by naming it a prize.
Example:
If khamr (wine) is renamed ṭilā’ (a kind of syrup), it does not become permissible. The prohibition remains, because rulings in Sharī‘ah are based on the true nature of the act, not the label given to it.
Thus, changing the terminology does not remove the original prohibition.
❖ Conclusion:
✔ A sharṭ (bet) remains ḥarām, even if people call it an in‘ām (prize).
✔ In Sharī‘ah, the ruling depends on the reality of the action, not the names people invent for it.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
