Ruling on Buying a Surprise Box

Question

What is the ruling on purchasing a surprise box (a box containing unknown items) if the box itself is the item being sold in the contract, and the items inside are given to the buyer as a prize? [AR_ID:5949]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him):

There is no issue with this if the item being sold (the box) has value that rational individuals compete over. However, if the item being sold (the box) has no intrinsic value, it is obligatory to consider the transaction invalid.

Source: Minhaj al-Salihin - Vol. 2 - Conditions of the Countervalues - M90

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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him):

Anything that is desired by rational individuals—regardless of whether it is a specific type—due to its permissible benefits is considered property, and all the rulings and effects of valuable items apply to it, including ownership, permissibility of buying and selling, liability for possession or damage, and so on, unless there is evidence to the contrary. It is advisable in transactions involving items like insects to consider the compensation as a right of exclusivity and to relinquish possession of these items.

Source: Answers to Inquiries - Sale - Conditions of the Countervalues - Q 1519

May you be successful in all good.