Question Summary:
Is bingo without money allowed in Islam?

Question Detail:

Peace to you all,
I am a Catholic Christian, but one of my students is a Muslim from West Africa. Tonight at the lesson we played Bingo. No money changed hands and we just played for fun, handing out chocolate when people got a bingo.
My student, however, considered that this was gaming and she felt it was wrong to join in.
I told her that I would get a fatwa from an expert. I am afraid that her English is not good enough to do this herself.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alā mannittaba‘a l-hudā.
Muslims have a strong aversion to gambling and anything associated with it. Gambling is the cause of many social ills, including greed, avarice and an imbalance in the distribution of wealth. Hence, the Qur’an condemns gambling in very strong terms:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ وَالأَنصَابُ وَالأَزْلاَمُ رِجْسٌ مِّنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَن يُوقِعَ بَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْبَغْضَاء فِي الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمْ عَن ذِكْرِ اللّهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلاَةِ فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّنتَهُونَ
“O you who believe! Wine, gambling, altars and divining arrows are filth from the work of Satan. Therefore, refrain from it, so that you may be successful. Satan wishes only to plant enmity and malice between you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of Allah and from Salāh (prayer). Would you, then, abstain?” (5:91)
Although we understand that there is no money involved in the particular game you refer to, even so, participating in the bingo session would be against the spirit of Islam for the following two reasons:
Firstly, it creates suspicion of gambling, and Muslims are taught to avoid places of suspicion. This is because suspicion sows ill-feeling and distrust. Hence, the doors to suspicion are curbed in Islam.
Secondly, bingo is normally played by people who engage in gambling, a great sin in Islam. Imitation of such grave sinners is also despised in Islam. The Messenger of Allah – Allah bless him and grant him peace – said, “Whoever imitates a people, he is from them.” (Sunan Abī Dawūd) The meaning of this tradition is that Muslims should be sensitive to their religious identity and ethical values to the extent that they avoid even a likeness with acts of immorality and sin. Such an attitude fosters a strong moral sense in Muslims.
Due to these reasons, it would not be Islamically appropriate for your Muslim student to participate in the game.
And Allah Ta‘ālā Knows Best
Zameelur Rahman
Student Darul Iftaa
UK
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
www.daruliftaa.net