Gifts

Q: Zaid and Amar had a very good relationship. During this time Zaid had given some gifts of cash and also some items to Amar. At the time the gifts were received and accepted and also used. Recently some issues arose due to which the relationship is very strained and Amar is very upset with Zaid. Amar has now sent back an amount of cash equivalent to the hadya that was given to him. He has also sent the gifted item back which had been previously accepted and used as well. The questions are:

1. Will the cash sent by Amar be deemed to be a return of the actual gift that was given to him, and will Zaid be obliged to take it back?

2. Will the item returned, which was accepted and used, be deemed as a return of the actual gift?

Q: My car caught alight this morning and was completely burnt. I had R5000 worth of gift cards in the car which were gifted to my 6 month baby when she was born. I have now lost those in the fire and would not be able to redeem it. Do I owe my child that money?

Q: Is it permissible to purchase and keep or give as hadiya etc. a Kruger coin, as it contains a picture of a Springbok. (It can be kept in a casing which covers the moorat).

Also, it is not possible to carve out the tasweer from the coin. Many people give Kruger coins as Mahr etc. What would be Mufti sahebs advise on this. 

Q: My son received a gift of clothing which has a dinosaur picture printed all over it. It was a black shadow picture without features.

Since we don't even know if dinosaurs were real, can he wear it or is it moorath?

If it is moorath, can I sell it and keep the money to use or should I just give it away?

Q: Each year we give zakaat to certain people or organisations. When they come to collect the zakaat the following year, they always bring along a gift e.g. diaries, calenders, pens, etc.

Are we allowed to keep these gifts and use them or will this be counted as taking benefit from one's own zakaat?

Q: I met a boy and we both had feelings for one another. We both did not want to date as there is a lot of sin in it. Our intention was and is to get married when the time is right and until then, whether our paths cross or not we decided to cut off contact until then. We have no contact at all. The only piece I have of him is a chain that he gave me, will it be sinful for me to wear it?

Q:

1. My mother wants to offer me her money which she says is earned by halaal means by selling her land. However, I have a doubt in my heart that the money is actually not halaal as it is charity collected from people that was supposed to be given to the poor and needy. Is taking this money from my mother permissible for me?

2. I want to start a business using this money, but because I have a doubt about it, I want to keep only the profits and pay back all of the invested amount to my mother. Will this be permissible?

Q: My mother bought a certain baby accessory for my baby sister. At the time of purchasing, she was not aware of the fatwa (of ownership) so she simply bought it without making any specific intention of who the owner is. In other words, she bought it with her own money for my baby sister (her youngest daughter) to use.

Its been 5 years and now I am married and have a child. Will it be permissable for my mother to give me possesion over that accessory so that I can use it for my baby?

Q: My father distributed his estate during his lifetime. The following questions come to mind:

1. If it was given away in his lifetime, was it necessary to give the brothers double share and if it was done like this, is this valid in shariah?

2. His house was given to my mother with specific instructions to give it to my brother so that in does NOT go into her estate upon her demise. Was this correct?

Q: I want to ask regarding inheritance. I have 3 daughters, so at present when I pass away, after my wife and daughters receive their share, the majority will go to my brothers or if they are no longer living then to my nephews by my understanding.

If I was to put the majority of my property into my wife and daughters names and leave for example 10% in my name, when I die I assume the share of that 10% will go to my my wife and daughters, and the remaining will go to other male inheritors.

So you see my intention is that my wife and daughters get the majority share by me transferring most of my property into their names.

My question is whether that is permissible by Islamic law.