Kurdistan Religious Scholars Union Prohibits Buying "Laboubo"

The Islamic Religious Scholars Union in the Kurdistan Region issued a fatwa today, Sunday (6 July 2025), prohibiting the purchase of the game "Laboubo" when used for the purpose of playing the lottery or seeking omens, considering that the rush to buy it falls under the waste of money and is not commendable religiously.

The union's spokesperson, Abdullah Shirkawi, said, "People are rushing to buy the Laboubo game at the present time," noting that "there is a wide religious debate about it, but according to our observations and monitoring, we do not see it as a good thing."

Shirkawi added: "We call on citizens to refrain from buying the game for the purpose of using it in the lottery or seeking omens, because that is religiously forbidden," emphasizing that "such actions are considered a form of wasting money and do not bring any real benefit."

Recently, the Laboubo game has gained wide popularity in some markets, usually sold in small bags containing random dolls that are bought without knowing what is inside, and sometimes used as a form of simple gambling or luck-related entertainment, sparking religious and social controversy about its legitimacy.