Lottery: Is It Permissible to Sell a Car Through a Paid Lottery Draw?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Lottery: Is It Permissible to Sell a Car Through a Paid Lottery Draw?

English:

Question #1232:

A person offered his car for sale by way of lottery. It works like this: Those willing to take part in the draw buy the ticket for a certain amount. After the specified period is up and the target money achieved, the draw takes place. The holder of the winning ticket would own the car. Is this way of giving the car through drawing a lot permissible in the Islamic law?

Answer #1232:

Buying and selling those tickets are, by obligatory caution, ḥarām. The prize (car) does not belong to the person winning the prize; rather, for its ownership, the car’s owner should transfer its ownership to him through a valid shar‘ī contract, like selling, presenting, or ṣulḥ.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Lottery