Interest and Gambling

Q: I have a credit card loan which I need to pay immediately. For several months I am trying to pay it but I failed. I don't have sufficient money to pay it. But I have a bank deposit from where interest money is automatically generated. I have no other source to pay it other than this interest money.

Previously I did not use this interest money due to Islamic reasons. But now I am in an emergency situation as if I fail to pay my debt, it will generate interest. Kindly help me and show me the correct path. May I use this interest money to pay my debt and seek forgiveness to the Almighty Allah?

Q:

1. Is it permissible to enter a competition run by an insurance company, without becoming involved in paying for any insurance, to enter is free of charge.

2. If one does win the competition, and the prize isn’t a cash prize, instead it is a gift card from a completely separate business, will it be permissible to use this gift card? What should one do with the items won?

Q: Is it permissible to engage the services of an individual or a security company that extends a commitment to safeguard my vehicle, with assurances of either replacement or compensation equivalent to its value in the event of damage or destruction?

Q: Kindly please advise.

My husband has a credit card which he uses to do transactions and alhamdulillah all these transactions are interest free. He uses it for convenience so he doesn't need to carry cash. By using this card he earns ebucks points which have accumulated and will be very valuable in purchasing necessary appliances in the home. Is the purchasing of these items with the ebucks points permissible?

Q: Please can you advise on the verdict regarding travel insurance. We understand all forms of insurance are not permissible, however I did notice that on the Hajj and Umrah packages there is mandatory travel insurance. Please can you advise what is to be done in this situation?

On the same subject, is it permissible to hire a car? There is also an insurance clause in the fine print of the agreement that needs to be signed before hiring.

If there are alternatives to the above that Ulama and others use when going for hajj/umrah please also let me know what these are.

Q: A person has two saving accounts with different banks. One account accumulates interest, the other does not. Is it necessary to discharge this interest from this very account, or can it be given through other means (payment from the second account or cash)?

Q: We purchased a property in a syndicate and the money held by the lawyers as a guarantee was invested in a money market account and accrued interest.

Can this money be used to offset the lawyers fee or does it have to be given out with no intention.

Q: Can interest money be used to pay TV license?

I have a TV that we do not use anymore, however since it is a process to sell a TV screen, I still have to pay the license. Is it permissible to pay using interest.

Can interest be given in charity? Obviously not as Lilla or sadaqa.

Q: Using the FNB global account/card, is it permissible to use the airport lounge benefit? No charge per month. No minimum balance required.

Q: What is the Shariah status of the Islamic Savings Account that one can open at FNB? One does not receive any interest but a portion of the profit is periodically credited by the bank to such an account?

The Bank claims that a board of top Ulama have investigated the account and have granted approval.