Q: I live in Germany, and over here, parcels (above a certain size) are usually insured in case of loss etc. This is the case, regardless of the parcel service, as far as I know. Is it permissible to use this service to send and receive parcels?
Q: I work for an engineering company who sometimes ask us to visit chemical plants depending on the nature of the work we do. On some of the plants it is required to have no facial hair so that one can use a gas mask in case of a gas release. This a common requirement all over the world for people who work with hazardous materials and in hazardous environments. My question is what a muslim who has a beard should do in this situation. Keep in mind that there are many muslims who work in these kind of environments and could not do an alternate work because of the profession they have chosen. Some of the companies include Aramco, Qatar Petroleum, Ras Gas, etc that are owned by Muslims countries.
Q: A film crew making wants to use a property for a scene in their show. They pay a location fee. Is this income halaal? If not, can this income be donated? Sadaqah?
Q: We wish to get involved in the development of private cemeteries. We will not be involved directly in burials but only in purchasing and developing it to the required standards for Council to allow burials on it. Most of the burials done here will be for non-muslims. The norm now in South Africa is for individual burial plots to be leased to the family of the deceased for approximately 10 years or so and thereafter the plots are recycled. We wish to humbly enquire whether it is permissible for us to lease the plots and then after 10 years or so, lease it again to a different family. It must be known that the Municipality has stressed that due to the large shortage of burial sites, all burial plots must be recycled after 7 to 10 years. Each individual plot will be surveyed and marked out and will be leased to burial homes in order for them to facilitate burials. Which of the following would be permissible for us to do:
Re-lease the plots after every 10 years
Lease it for 10 years and thereafter sell the cemetery outright
Sell the plots in perpetuity to the families of the deceased or the burial homes
Q: I just want some advice regarding my predicament and also to request your Duas that Allah takes me out of this situation. I have been working in the banking/financial services industry for the last 11 years and at first did not realise that it was wrong but, in the last 6 years or so have been trying very hard to get out but to no avail. I have applied for many hundreds of jobs and I always make Taubah. I used to contribute in Allah's course but now I am scared to. I want to go for Umrah and Hajj but am worried that I will be sinning by doing so. I try to spend on my family within my capacity but always end up feeling depressed as I know where the money is coming from. What can I do to improve my chances of getting a better source of income?
