All praises and glorification is due to Allah( swt) who created the angels from light, mankind from

clay
and Jins from smoke of fire. May his blessings be showered upon Prophet Muhammad (saw) and those
who follow his path till the day of reckoning, amin.

Gambling as defined by the 7th edition of oxford new dictionary is the activity of playing games of chance
for money and of betting on other things for profit.

Islam totally frowns at gambling and forbids it for the believers though little benefit we derive from it,
but Allah who knows us more than our own selves warns us thus:

“They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling, say: in them isa a great sin and
some benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit” Q2 vs 219

What benefit do we derive from gambling rather than when we are winning! And the adverse effect of it
is that it leads to hatred, promotes laziness, kills time, leads to vices and stray us from the path of Allah
(swt).

Allah says “.…and follows not the footstep of shaytan satan. Verily he is to you a plain enemy.Q36 vs 60

Moreover, we have heard of or probably seen consequences of gambling in our various environment
and the world at large. We have heard of sport fans betting with houses, cars, properties and worst of it
all wives. Are you surprised? Don’t be surprise that some fathers lend out their young children as
collateral in exchange for money just because they wanted to gamble!

It is often said that when a man lacks contentment he lacks everything and when he possesses
contentment he possesses everything in life. Or if not greediness and lack of contentment, why gamble?
Why not fear Allah (swt) and rely on him for your sustenance for he provides for man from where he
hope not from.

Allah says “….and whosoever fear Allah and keep his duty to him, he will make a way for him to get out
of every difficulty). And he will provide him from sources he never could imagine. And whoever puts his
trust in Allah, then He will suffice him…”Q65 vs 2-3

If you observe vigilantly, you will notice that the number of the popular BABA IJEBU lotto which started
with few kiosk have multiplied tremendously within the years. Then, who is winning and who is losing?
Don’t they think!
It is unfortunate we see aged men, young ones and females queuing and forecasting numbers in lotto
centre, what a pity!

Gambling has now advanced, repackaged, reframed, and rebranded and made glamorous that our
telecommunication industries make billions of naira from it and even media programs that I once fell
prey of when a simple puzzle was to be solved ,and I called hoping it was very easy. Before I knew it my
#100 has been usurped just for calling. Then I realized it’s a reframed gambling.

Series of text messages we receive on our mobile phones from either MTN, ZAIN, or GLO requesting us
to partake in a promo or draws. One of the text message I received goes thus: Zain has authorized the
sum of one million naira (#1,000,000) for a lucky winner tonight! Text YES to 555 now and it could be
you! #100/SMS.

Now, let us do a little calculation. Suppose ZAIN has 20 million customers in Nigeria and just 2 million
people text YES to 555, that makes a total amount of #200 million with a balance of #190 million into
ZAIN’s account. Then, who is winning, WE OR ZAIN?

If you are the type that partake regularly, consider the amount you would have spent on that which
there is no gain but severe punishment from Allah (swt). Yet they keep teasing you, “YOU CAN BE THE
NEXT WINNER”, “KEEP TRYING”, “YOURE ABOUT TO WIN” etc

You give this frequently to those who would not benefit you in anyway but in Allah’s course you are
stingy; you rarely spend #5 or #10 despite you render much more in SHAYTAN’S course.

Allah says: “The mutual rivalry (for pilling up of worldly things) diverts you, until you visit the graves.
Q102 vs 1-2

This verse could also mean that your lack of contentment with that which you have will lead you to
wretchedness if truly you know, but Nay! You are deceived by the glamorous and frivolities of this
world.

All you need to do is reason and you will see that it is SHAYTAN using his tricks and his agents against
you so as for you to step out of the boundary which Allah (swt) has ordered you not to pass.This would
take you far away from regret after which you would have committed the crime (gambled) and did not
win; Ah! “I should have used the money for such and such”. Allah (swt) admonishes us thus:

“…. the example of Shaytan (Satan) when he whispers to man ‘Disbelieve’(in Allah’s Command) and
when he(man) disbelieve (has committed the atrocity),he(satan) says: indeed I am free from you, I fear
Allah the lord of the worlds. Q

Brethren ! let us seek for Islamic opinion on issues before partaking in it so that we would not end up
regretting. WAS SALAM ALAYKUM WARAMOTUL LAHI WABARAKATUHU.

WRITTEN BY:

JIMOH IBRAHIM OLALEKAN

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

(UNILORIN) 200LEVEL