Question

Assalamu alaikum

I have recently received an email from the European Lottery International stating that I have won a sum of money. This was apparently promoted by Bill Gates in an attempt to promote his software packages and therefore they randomly picked 30,000,000 email addresses out of which 15 were picked and I am told that I am one of them. I was not aware of this and never consciously participated in the same. Am I correct in understanding that this is not gambling (as I never took part in such activity) and therefore it is allowed or am I wrong in thinking that. I pray to Allah that he gives me the strength to reject any gains which are not allowed in Islam, Insha’allah. Kindly clarify.

Regards

Answer

Such prizes are a mere random picking of customers. They would not be categorized in wager or gambling.