What is the ruling on exchanging gifts through an unknown lottery, with the aim of surprise and bringing joy?

Many hadiths have been narrated regarding the virtue of gift-giving, indicating that it is a cause of mutual love and harmony. However, the described scenario might lead to the opposite effect, as it involves gharar (uncertainty), which is the ignorance of each person regarding the عوض (compensation/return gift) they will receive. Gharar is not permissible in a gift intended for recompense, according to the Four Imams. The majority of scholars stipulate that the عوض must be known and specified, similar to a sale.

Furthermore, this scenario involves making the gift conditional, which is impermissible according to the jurists of the Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali schools. A gift is an immediate transfer of ownership, and conditioning or deferring it contradicts this.

This scenario involves a semblance of gambling. It is obligatory to abandon this practice, and instead, each person should exchange gifts with whomever they love, for that would be more conducive to joy and further removed from what is prohibited.