TV call in quiz shows

6-7-2001 | IslamWeb

Question:

Muslims taking part in one of the Questions & Answer contest on TV. This question specifically relate to programs where the condition of entry is only that you must be a national citizen, make a call to enter your name, which will be picked by lots as there are many entrants, and you must spend your time and money to reach the TV station, when selected for entering. Now the prize money is graded according to a number of questions answered by you, and choice is given to withdraw anytime you do not have a correct answer so that you can collect whatever money you have reached so far. Is this HARAM in Islam in light of Quran and Hadeeth, specially where the prize money is linked only to questions answered?

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Answer:

‎Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be
‎‎upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
‎If a participant does not pay any amount of money to take part in the
‎‎mentioned contests then it is permissible for him to get the prizes. But if ‎‎one pays some amount, regardless of how small it is, in this case
‎‎receiving prizes is prohibited since this practice is considered as ‎‎gambling. So, one should not participate in such contests and should notreceive their prizes.
‎We would like to draw to our brothers' attention that a Muslim should
not ‎‎participate in such contests if they do not support acquiring
Islamic ‎‎knowledge or other good knowledge, which helps the Muslim in his life. As you know that these contests should be in lawful or at least permissible fields otherwise they are but a waste of time and everyone knows that time is a ‎‎precious possession of the human being.
Moreover, it is almost, impossible to avoid watching unlawful scenes on TV, therefore the Muslim is asked to avoid watching TV as much as possible. He ‎‎should bear in his mind the Ayah: Verily! The hearing, and the sight, ‎‎and the heart, of each of those you will be questioned (by Allâh)." [17:36].
Allah knows best.