Try Again | Buying Lottery

The Story of Little Zayd

Try Again

Mohsin Attari

It was the weekend. Little Zayd’s mother was making tea in the kitchen and the rest of the family were sitting, waiting for their tea. Meanwhile, Little Zayd came running, ‘Mum! Mum!’

‘What is it Little Zayd?’, his mother asked calmly.

‘Mum, I feel like eating biscuits with my tea, give me some money so that I can buy my favourite biscuits from the shop.’

‘Okay son, get the biscuits and come home quickly, but do not forget to take the change from the shopkeeper.’ Little Zayd’s mother gave him the money whilst instructing him.

‘Okay mum, I will be back in a flash.’ Saying this, he ran outside.

On the way home after buying the biscuits, Little Zayd heard the voice of a stall keeper, ‘Come children, double up your money, take part in the lottery and get many prizes.’ 

After hearing this, Little Zayd went towards him and asked, ‘Uncle! Really, will my money double?’ The stall keeper said: ‘Of course my son, why not.’

Little Zayd thought to himself, ‘This way, I will be able to buy many things and also give mum the leftover change.’

Coming up with this idea, he said to the stall keeper, ‘Uncle give me a lottery ticket as well.’ Having said this, he gave all his money to the stall keeper. When he opened the lottery ticket, he was shocked to find out that it said TRY AGAIN. Little Zayd cried: ‘Uncle! This is empty’.

The stall keeper replied: ‘Son, this was your luck.’

Little Zayd was now really worried thinking that how would he tell his mum about this. His family were also waiting for him as he had been gone for quite some time.

Nonetheless, he went home with a grumpy face. His mother asked: ‘Son, the shop is not too far, why did you take so long to buy biscuits? Anyway, show me the biscuits you bought.’

Little Zayd showed her the biscuits. His mother asked: ‘Son, how much change did the shop keeper give you?’

‘Mum… hmmm…hmmm’, Little Zayd mumbled.

‘What is it son? Do not be afraid, tell me calmly, did you lose the change?’, his mother asked him lovingly. ‘Mum, I spent the money on lottery. A stall keeper was calling out, ‘Double your money and test your luck.’ So I thought to myself that this way, I can buy many more things, but sadly the ticket was empty of a prize’. Little Zayd sadly explained to his mother.

Whilst drinking her tea, Little Zayd’s grandmother, who was listening intently to what Little Zayd had to say, comforted him and advised: ‘Son, greed is a bad curse. Look, because of greed, you wasted the money you had and only bad people play the lottery. Lottery is a gamble and in the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has forbidden us from gambling. It is impermissible to buy and sell the lottery.^[1] Now make a firm intention that you will never fall prey to any kind of greed or play the lottery again.’

Listening to her advice, he replied: ‘Yes Grandma! I will never play the lottery again.’

His Grandmother jokingly said: ‘This time you did not buy me any biscuits, but next time make sure to get me some.’

After hearing this, everyone was amused and even Little Zayd felt better.