Question
Salaams,
I wanted to ask if the purchase of premium bonds is halal?
https://www.nsandi.com/
https://www.nsandi.com/products/premium-bonds
I have purchased premium bonds on the website above and occasionally I win money prizes in a month. I don’t win every month.
I wanted to know if it is halal to buy this sort of premium bonds?
If it is not permissible, I will take my investment out.
The prize wins that I have accumulated over the amount I have invested. Please can you advise what I do with that money?
I invested £5,000 initially. By winning the prizes in some months. That amount equals to £500. My investment now is £5,500. I have gained £500.
Can I give it as interest money to a poor Muslim country?
Can I give to a non Muslim charity?
Please advise.
Jzk
Answer
When a person buys bonds the payments made are considered a loan towards the bond issuer. In Islam it is not permissible to gain any benefit beyond the initial loaned amount especially when that additional benefit is included within the contract. In the case of premium bonds you are not given a regular interest payment, rather, you are entered in to a competition each month giving you the opportunity to win prizes. As this is an additional benefit given in consideration of the loan and is also part of the contract it will be unlawful.
Hence, any additional sums received must be disposed of by giving away in charity without having any intention of receiving reward. This money can be given to poor Muslim countries and also poor non-Muslims according to contemporary scholars.
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 385)
وعلى هذا قالوا لو مات الرجل وكسبه من بيع الباذق أو الظلم أو أخذ الرشوة يتورع الورثة، ولا يأخذون منه شيئا وهو أولى بهم ويردونها على أربابها إن عرفوهم، وإلا تصدقوا بها لأن سبيل الكسب الخبيث التصدق إذا تعذر الرد على صاحبه اه
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (2/ 351)
ولا) تدفع (إلى ذمي) لحديث معاذ (وجاز) دفع (غيرها وغير العشر) والخراج (إليه) أي الذمي ولو واجبا كنذر وكفارة وفطرة خلافا للثاني وبقوله يفتي حاوي القدسي
قوله: وبقوله يفتي) الذي في حاشية الخير الرملي عن الحاوي وبقوله نأخذ
قلت: لكن كلام الهداية وغيرها يفيد ترجيح قولهما وعليه المتون
See Fatawa Darul Ulum Zakariyyah 3:220, 5:415
Fiqh al-Buyu 1:355
Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel