I'm hardly a practicing Muslim anyway: I do not pray or fast. One more sin will not harm me?

You cannot be more wrong. Anyone committing a sin irrespective of how sinful he already is is harming himself. Every sin and every good deed will be accounted for on the Day o judgement. The more sins you stop committing the greater you win the battle for your soul. It IS WRONG FOR ANY MUSLIM to ever fill that he is too much of a sinful person for Allah to ever forgive him. On this subject Allah says" Were the son of Adam to come to me with sins reaching up to the sky I would still forgive him" Make that change from this moment. Ask for Allah's forgiveness and start practicing.

All the Money is going to charities and other good causes. It’s a donation rather than Gambling.

First of all only 25%-28% of the lottery money goes to *good causes*. 50% goes on prizes (so a few individuals become millionaires) 12% is tax (so the government gets it) 5% goes to the retailers (so the shopkeepers get it) and the 5% goes to Camelot (so they can line their pockets) As you can see only a quarter goes to good causes and they include art galleries, museums and charities. Secondly in Islam you are not permitted to do a forbidden act even it leads to some good. The rule of FIQH states "the ends do not justify the means". Would you sell drugs to finance the building of a mosque? Finally, to donate some money to worthwhile causes a rewarding act. And there are many good Islamic charities around, and the National LOTTERY IS NOT ONE OF THEM!

Many Muslim Country including Pakistan and Egypt have National Lottery.

Muslim does not decide on what is haram (allowed or forbidden) on the basis of what happens in Muslim countries. Our right or wrong comes directly from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. In Pakistan government has not implemented Shari'h (ISLAMIC LEGAL SYSTEM). That does not mean it is now Islamic to live without Shariah. Similarly in Egypt, the government allows nightclubs and nearly naked belly dancers. This does not mean that they are also accepted in Islam. Indeed they are not!

Isn't it true that ALLAH chooses the National Lottery Winners?

• As Muslims we believe that nothing happens in the universe without the will of Allah. His knowledge covers everything: He knows the past, the present and the future. Therefore, He knows who will win all national lotteries and He knows when you and I will die. But He does not force anyone to do the forbidden or the good. He tests you to see what you would do under certain circumstances. But it is you who, out of your will, and freedom of choice, decide to spend £1 or $1on a national lottery ticket, and not on your family etc. And it is you who must pay the price on the day of judgement for the decisions you made on Earth (as indeed we all will).

What does Judaism and Christianity say about the Lottery/ National Lottery?

• The Methodist Church has slammed all forms of gambling which includes the Lottery, as harmful instruments of the Devil. They base this on the verse" nor do anything whereby thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak"(Romans 14:21) arguing that gambling harms society and so must be shunned. However as seem quite prevalent within the Christian church a lot of principles are being compromised on, and you will find the Most churches actually allow gambling: the roman Catholics even allow bingo to played within their institution Judaism is split over it's verdict on the Lottery. The majority rabbis say that it is permitted. Of those some say that, although permitted, a gambler is not suitable as witness, nor his charity accepted.

What about selling National LOTTERY Tickets?

• Shopkeepers or any persons selling items for use in gambling, which includes lottery tickets, are committing a major sin. This is from the Islamic Fiqh (juristic) ruling that "that which leads to haram is itself haram."

But why Allah has forbidden Gambling?

1. Gambling is addictive and many people stake their hard-earned wages in forms of gambling and lose their wealth and even homes, while their families go hungry. This leads to many social ills, including the break up of families, and Islam is about building families and providing for them, not neglecting them and destroying them.

2. In all forms of gambling, including the National Lottery, only a very small proportion of people wins. The majority is losers. In effect gambling takes money from the vast majority of people

3. Intense jealousy begins as losers look enviously at the winners. This causes hatred among people, and Islam is about creating love and brotherhood not, not hatred.

4. Gamblers spend much time and effort in dreaming " what I would do if I won a million", longing and wishing that time and effort could be better spent in looking after their families and remembering Allah.

5. Islam wants you to rely on ALLAH and earn your income with your feet firmly planed on the ground, and not rely on dreams and the National LOTTERY! This is a form of minor SHIRK (relying on other than ALLAH)

6. Allah is our creator and He knows the best, and in his wisdom He has made all forms of gambling forbidden for us and as Muslims we place our trust in Him.