Question and Answers: Quizzes

Question:

Newspapers and magazines today have arranged some quizzes containing questions about various things and not limited to religious matters. They asked their readers to answer to it, and is it required to write the answer down on a coupon available in that newspaper or magazine’s issues. Which means, whoever want to join the quiz to get the prize, must buy the newspaper or magazine first to get the coupon. The winner will be chosen from true answers received by the board of editors.The prize will only be awarded to the chosen readers. What is the legal verdict of such practice?

Answer:

We believe that it is forbidden to buy such magazine, if the aim is to get the prize provided by them.

They would only arrange such quiz and provide prizes to attract consumers and boost their sales. That is why the answer must be written over the coupon available in that newspaper/magazine; to make sure that ones sent their answers must have bought the particular edition.

Since there’s quiz, the price of the magazines and newspapers will be increased and so will the amount of issues published. This is done due to the positive response given by society towards the media and their prizes.

Hence, we believe that it is forbidden to buy such newspapers or magazines if the aim is to send the answers.

But if one wants to buy the media routinely to read the news provided by them, and to get knowledge from it, and not for the quiz, it is permissible for him to join the quiz and take the prize, if they are lucky enough to win it.

And it is also permitted to participate for those who get the magazine or newspapers without buying them first.

Rewritten from Ahkam Musabaqah Tijariyah by Sheik Abdullah bin Abdirrahman al-Jibrin, published by Dar al-Qasim, Riyadh.

(Translated by Abu ‘Ukkasha Aris Munandar, S.S, with several rearrangements of grammar and structures by www.konsultasisyariah.com)

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