Islam is a religion
which seeks to make you follow the established divine commandments, such
commandments which are addressed not only to the believers but also to whole
humanity. Allah has established the need for you to seek your daily bread
(food) and that you obtain money through licit means. As for gambling, hazard
games like lotteries, horse betting, “household baskets”, card games, casinos,
and lotto etc., all these force people to depend on chance, and give them a
false hope to get easy money, such money which if obtained are without making
any efforts and through illicit means. Those who fall prey to this do not
respect the divine principles to seek one’s living. Islam is a religion which
works beautifully. It has established each thing in its own place, and thus
established that the riches of others are not licit for us.
It is not allowed for
one to take something except through licit means and seeking the permission and
consent of the proprietor. Gambling means taking other’s money through the garb
of falsehood, through dishonest means.
Allah has forbidden this in His Holy Book (the Quran):
“And do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it (in
bribery) to the rulers in order that (they might aid) you (to) consume a
portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know (it is unlawful).” (2: 189)