JIHAD CHAPTER · 69 – ABOUT THE WRESTLER CALLED "THE ANALYZER" (PERMITTER)
Abū Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "If someone introduces a horse into a race between two other horses when it is not certainly known beforehand that he will lose the race, then this (rewarded competition) is not gambling. But if someone introduces a horse into a race between two other horses knowing for certain that he will lose, then this is gambling." [401]
EXPLANATION:
It is permissible if two riders compete and one says to the other, "If I pass you, I will pay you such and such; but if you pass me, I want nothing.” But if two people enter a race, each saying to the other, “If I pass you, I will give you so much money; if you pass me, you will give me so much money,” then this is gambling because it is mutual. To save this competition from being considered gambling, a third person intervenes. If he wins the race, he takes the money from both of them. If he does not win, he pays nothing. This third person, to whom permissibility is granted, is called a *muhallil*. Entrance fees for the races are taken from the spectator who is the third person and given to the winner.
It was narrated with a report through the same meaning as the hadith transmitted via the chain of Abbas from Zuhri.