Business and Dealings

Home insurance

Q: We live in a dangerous area in Cape Town, lots of gangsterism, drugs, violence and we often have home break in. We earn below average income and can't afford to replace goods when stolen during break in. Is it permissible to have home insurance in this case?

Online job for classifying images and products

Q: An online job involves classifying various images into appropriate product categories. One is presented an image and has to select the appropriate category. For example, an image of an iPhone is shown and one has to select the 'Electronics - Mobile Phones' category. Images for haraam items to classify also appear, such as TVs, video game consoles, alcohol, musical instruments, etc. Furthermore, animate images do often appear with the product for classification; one has to look at the animate image in order to classify the product. For example, the image of an attractive woman wearing a gold necklace (where the necklace must be classified). Or classifying a Milo tin that has an animate image on the packaging. One is paid a predetermined amount for each image classified. Please advise:

1. Is this classification of animate images permissible?

2. Is this classification of haraam products permissible?

3. Is any income haraam and Waajibut Tasadduq?

Working as an interpreter

Q: I work as an interpreter in hospitals in Delhi. Foreigners come for treatment and the hospitals give me some percent of investigation that patients have done for treatment. I asked several people who have the responsibility for marketing about additional charges when a patient comes through an interpreter. They all answered that the fee is the same when they come directly. Is it halal for me or not, if not please explain halal ways of earning as an interpreter?

Declaring war with Allah Ta'ala by dealing in interest

Q: My older brother is the head of the household and he makes most of the financial decisions for me. A while ago he made me apply for a loan that I would have to pay interest on. Now that I know that paying interest is haram, I've tried hard to convince him to cancel the loan and even told him about valid Islamic sources to show that it is a grave sin. He simply said that we're in a tough situation and I need the loan to go to college so exceptions have to be made. And he went on to add, "These online muftis don't know the difficulties our family goes through to put bread on the table." I'm in a situation where I have no control in returning the loan before interest starts accruing on it since he has control over the bank account. I fear that my family will lash out at me and maybe even cut family ties from me for putting them through difficulties for my own beliefs since they don't follow Islam as closely as I do. I'm very scared of the consequences I will have to face for letting him force me into taking a loan in which I will pay riba on. Please let me know of any way to deal with this sin that I see no way of avoiding. I would even pay 10 times the amount in sadaqa as I took in the loan (later on in my life) if I have to.

Being unable to locate the seller to return the defective item

Q: I've bought an item on eBay and after receiving the item, I requested a refund for the money because it was not as stated. The money was returned and according to eBay policy, the seller is to pay the shipping fee for the return. I've been trying to get in touch with the seller for almost two months now but they have not responded. I would like to know what I am to do with the item I had previously bought?

Earning as a consultant

Q: I am a graduate engineer, and the Pakistan Engineering Council (as I am living in Pakistan and) gives all graduates in engineering a Supervisory certificate. This supervisory certificate is basically for the Contractors firm to hire us as it is mandatory for them to hire at least a minimum amount of engineers to get their self recognized with PEC (Pakistan Engineering Council) to be able to work properly here. It is basically a step to save engineers for un-employment. Now whats happening is here is that the contractors firm are now offering engineers to make a contract with them that they will show the PEC that they have hired you but you will not have to come for the job daily and you neither get the pay on a monthly basis, instead you will get a lump sum amount like about 70k or 80k at once and then the contract will be valid for 1 year and the deal is made that you may come to their project site whenever you want. Like basically you sell your contract for one year and show to PEC that you are working with the firm like a normal employee. Now I want to ask that I am working with a firm as a trainee engineer where my pay is just 8k only and I have not got the pay of last month yet, as our company is not good in paying their employees on time. I want to ask that if I make a contract with another company, and sell my supervisory certificate to them and take a lump some amount (Note: my company does not require a supervisory certificate) and I sometimes visit their project site, will it be Haram? As the last date of renewal of the contractor firm is 31st march, after that my supervisory certificate will be of no value. and I have not heard that any 1 engineer is hired by the contractor firm due to of their supervisory certificate. All of them sell the certificate. My friend has sold it, he says that we are not given our rights so we can do that. but I will do it only when , when I am sure that it is not haram. I do photography as a part time so I need some money to upgrade my camera.