Sterilizing or neuter pets

Q: A website visitor wants to know whether sterilizing or neuter pets (especially dogs & cats) is permissible. Also the permissibility of electronic chip implant for registration purposes.

In addition to the questions earlier, the person also wants to know if is permissible for her to euthanise a sick cat because of illness or unable to afford the vet's bill.

Some questions relating to Halaal & Haraam

Q:

  1. Do you agree that all food in makkah and medina are halaal ?
  2. A muslim owned restaurant where one is not sure if the food is halaal but cannot take a qasam. can it be considered to be halaal?
  3. Can one use the environment of a restaurant to judge if it is halaal. eg islamic frames ?
  4. In other countries can one eat fish and chips, fruits and veg without question from any where ?
  5. If you said no for number 3, in other countries can this method be used ?

Saying "Happy Festive Season"

Q: Is one permitted to wish customers well on their respective holy days by saying "Happy Festive Season" instead of "Happy Christmas/Diwali"?

Similarly, can one have specials/decorations etc. in one's business which say "Festive Season" specials, rather than a religious promotion saying "Christmas specials or Diwali specials"?

Photos of nature, landscapes and wildlife

Q: Does the following Ahaadith apply to photos of nature, landscapes, what about wildlife?

Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: “The people who will receive the severest punishment on the day of judgment are the picture makers (of animate objects).”

The severity of photography is leaving our muslim community. When a sin becomes widespread, it is taken very lightly. We never imagined that this day will come, when let alone taking photographs, with the cell-phone almost everyone has become a camera-man videoing day to day outings and get togethers.

Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Every picture maker will be in the fire. For every picture that he makes, a living being will be created and will punish him in jahannam.”

As a muslim our firm Imaan will protect us from all forms of photography. Be it on the cell phone, computer screen or our photographs appearing in magazines and newspapers. Many of us may have stopped taking photographs, let us now complete our repentance by erasing all stored images and by destroying all old albums containing our past photographs. May Allah Ta’ala protect and guide us all. Aameen!

I would like to include the following conditions in my employment contract for my staff

Q: I, as an employer would like to include the following conditions in my employment contract for my staff:

  1. All staff are to be committed to work for one full year. The employment contract is a compulsory one year contract from the beginning of the year till the end of the year, 12 months.
  2. With regards to termination of employment for the following year, the employee is obliged to give three months written notice before the end of the current year.
  3. Should the need arise for any staff to be dismissed during the current year of employment due to any irregularities, this can be put into immediate effect.

I would appreciate you to expound on them being acceptable in Shariah, with proofs of Quran and Hadith.