State Property: Selling Government Goods by Lottery for Charity – Is It Permissible?
Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei
State Property: Selling Government Goods by Lottery for Charity – Is It Permissible?
English:
Question #1961:
Certain household goods, such as carpets and refrigerators, were offered in a government outlet for sale at officially fixed prices. However, since demand outstripped offer, the showroom manager resorted to selling the goods by way of lottery, on the understanding that the proceeds from the ticket sales would be used in charitable causes. Is there a legal objection to selling the goods by way of lottery?
Answer #1961:
When offering the goods to the customers, it is obligatory on the salesperson concerned to set the same conditions as they got them from the officials. Accordingly, they have no right to alter these conditions by replacing them with others of their own. The intention to spend the proceeds from selling the tickets in charitable causes is not a valid reason for altering the conditions of sale.
-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of State Property