Q: I have a friend who is opening a relaxing and rejuvenation spa. He has asked me to invest in it. Will the income from the spa be halaal? The therapist working there will be females.

Q: I want to know the ratio of legal heirs of the deceased. The heirs are mentioned below:

widow - 1

daughter - 4

brother - 1

sister - 1

nephews (brother's sons) - 3

Q: Is medical aid and hospital plans permissible. In our town we have a government hospital and a private hospital. The government hospital's services to the sick is free and at private hospitals the fees are exorbitant starting at around one hundred thousand. I have never been on medical aid. In the past year I have become sick and now have serious medical conditions. I visited the private doctor recently and he diagnosed that my kidneys are failing. The doctors could not further attend to me or operate as I have no money to pay nor medical aid. They are requesting around seventy thousand rand from me for a start. If I don't do the operation, my kidneys will fail and the result is death. I cannot go to the government hospitals as many people who had operations at these hospitals came out worse than they were before they went in. A friend of mine had leg pains and went to the government hospital and had an operation done. When he came out he walked on crutches till he died and claimed that the hospital destroyed his legs as the government hospitals have young doctors from third world countries. Another friend had a pain in his foot. He also went to the government hospital and they operated on his feet. When he came out he couldn't walk for years as his feet were worse and he could not bend his toes at all. He had to sit on a chair for Salaah. I am worried if I go the same way as they have done, I will be more sick than I am and if I had medical aid then I could have used it to go to private hospitals. Please advise.

Q: I am going to university, boys and girls both are coming there. Actually I am wearing burqa and I want to cover my face. But because of long time like 7 hours, it seems difficult for me. In that case can I open my face only? May I open my face at lunch time in the canteen? I am taking my lunch with girls only.

Q: A Muslim Association is hoping to purchasing a building for dawah; with a view to run a madrasah, a welfare centre and also a salaah room (musjid) therein. The property is intended to be an endowment (waqf), eventually. However, we have no funds to pay for this building, as yet. A couple of brothers have offered to buy the building (using their own money) and give it to the Association on favourable rent, until the Association is able to collect the necessary funds and pay for the building, outright. In order to save on the property registry costs, the financiers have agreed that the building can be registered in the Association's name at the first purchase while they will retain the ownership through a private agreement that if the Association failed to raise the funds and buy it within a ten years period, the Association will have to sell the property and the proceeds will go to the brothers who paid for it. But hopefully the Association will be able to raise charity funds and pay for the building, the private agreement will come to an end and the Association will declare the property a charitable endowment. They also agree to sell half the building ownership to the Association on half the payment and proportional ownership for proportional capital in the building at anytime during the ten years. However, some brothers are disputing this arrangement and feel that the official registration will make the Association the owner, despite the price being paid by two private individuals. They say that any rent paid by the Association will in fact be 'interest' on the 'loan'. They are asking the brothers to give their money as a goodly loan with no return for the ten years but the financiers are unable to do this. Please clarify the following points in the light of shariah;

1. Is a partnership between a charity Association and private individuals impermissible in shariah?

2. Does the registry document make the ownership in shariah or it belongs to whoever has paid for the property?

3. Does a building become a charity endowment (waqf) on the basis of a 'future' intention, even before it has been bought or while it is in private ownership or shared private ownership?

4. Will any rent or partial rent paid to the private individuals (for their share in ownership) be 'halal' rent or 'haram' interest?

5. Is it permissible to setup a masjid room in a rented or in a shared ownership premises?

6. Is it excusable to embarrass someone with a request for goodly loan after they have made an investment proposal (seeking a modest return, almost half the income their capital is currently providing)?

Please clarify these points in detail as any remaining confusion will cause us difficulty. Kindly suggest any ways to overcome any mistakes commonly made in such partnerships. If it is permissible to raise finance through private partnership, as described above, we will be able to buy this property and receive the future goodness, inshaAllah. However, if it is not permissible, through your help, Allah Subhanahu will protect us from being sinful. Jazakumullaho Khaira.