Archery Tournament Entrance Fees

Q. Is it permissible to charge an entrance fee for an archery tournament where the entrance fees are used for the cost of the courts, the cost of the referees etc.? The trophies and medals for the tournaments are given by the facilitators of the event. Is this a form of gambling?

A. If the entrance fees are used towards the cost of the archery tournament i.e. cost of the court etc., and the trophies or medals awarded to those participating in the tournament are borne independently by the facilitators of the event, then this does not fall under the definition of gambling.

Gambling is defined as one risking the loss or gain of one’s own wealth. In the case where the facilitators of the archery tournament take the responsibility independently to award those participating in the event with trophies or medals, one is not risking the loss or gain of one’s own wealth.

Therefore, in the enquired case, it will be permissible to charge an entrance fee to enter the archery tournament and it will be permissible to accept an award of a trophy or medal as a participant of the archery tournament. (Shaami 6/403)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com