Business and Dealings

Q: Can I take money from a student whose father is employed in a bank?

Q: I am a computer science PhD and I want to specialize in Computer Vision. Please allow me to explain what this does with examples:

1. Self-driving cars use computer vision techniques to "perceive" the surroundings and make decisions (avoid passengers, avoid trees, recognize road sighs, etc.)

2. Security camera uses computer vision for smart, precise facial recognition (not the blurry survey cams)

While these seem to be permissible, it is important to know that this technique is built upon (especially for self-driving cars):

- use camera/sensor to gather data (mostly images/photos/other data) --> cleanly visualize the image by rebuilding the images in 3D--> construct math model for the images --> provide instruction for next move.

As you can see, in order for it to work researchers and engineers must take photos with cameras on car. They also need to build 3D models in computer of human, cars, animals, trees, etc. It is well-known that takings photos, making images, and 3D images of human beings is haraam (not permissible), even though the technology (computer vision) is extremely useful, even for Muslims and Muslim countries (the applications are too many to be named).

Can I study this field and work in this field?

Q: I know a married woman but she is not on good terms with her husband. She has been given one divorce by him but it was taken back. Now she is living with him again. Her husband earns above 60 thousand rupees per month and their monthly expenses are about 50 to 60 thousand rupees and they still save some money. The wife is not working or earning any money. But due to insecurities about her life with her husband, who does not treat her well, she wants to work and start earning for which she wants to join a government institute which is run on a zakat fund. Their admission criteria is that the applicant should be mustahiq-e-zakat.

My question is that, on the basis of the fact that she fears her future with her husband, she wants to earn money to be able to live life of her own if she gets divorced, does she fall in the catagory of mustahiq-e-zakat and can she take admission in that institute which is run through a zakat fund?

Q: I had set aside a certain amount of cash to use for a gift that my sister's and I were going to give collectively. A year later my sister was ready to buy the gift, however the gift was less than the amount expected. I paid my portion of the gift. But there is still some cash leftover. Can I keep this cash for myself or do I have to gift it to the person intended. I had only set aside the cash as I had made a commitment and in the case of death I did not want it unfulfilled.

Q: My father built a house and the house was on my grandmother's name. Now the house is on my mother's name. My father and grandmother are both dead respectively and now my mother transfered this house on my elder brother's name. We are 4 brothers and 3 sisters. My brother got the market value of the house and divided the property between us seven family member including him. What does Islam say about the division of the property?

Q: With regards to the money that belongs to our small children (gifted to them by people or given by parents as a reward), if from their money we buy them clothes and toys to use and play with, what should be done with them later as they grow and neither the clothes nor the toys are of their use.

Q: I have a question about withdrawal from a broker. I know FOREX trading is a separate issue, but lets say you do.

My question isn't about FOREX specifically, its about withdraw. Lets say our first initial deposit is $1000, then you make profit and your account becomes $5000. Now some brokers will say that first you have to withdraw your initial deposit, then you can withdraw your profit. This is haram. But if the broker lets me take all my money, then its halal. Please explain why the first scenario is haram.

Q: I own a 50 % share in a barbershop business and my partner wants to buy my share out. My portion cost me R30 000 18 months ago when we started the business. I earn between R5 000 and R6 000 profits per month for my portion. I would like to know that if I agree to sell my share will I be able to ask for a higher price than what I originally invested. I was looking to ask for R75 000 as I am earning well monthly from my dividend.

Q: Please advise if this method of saving money is halaal.

6 people each agree to participate in a group savings plan. Each person pays monthly to 1 person an amount of R1000.00 for 12 months. Person 1 recieved R12000 in the first month being January. Then person 2 recieves R 12000 in March and so on and so forth; whilst each person still pays R 1000.00 for the rest of the year. In this way each person recieved a bulk amount of R 12000.00 even though they may not have paid their full amount on their turn of taking out the R12000.

Q:

1. While at university we used to play table soccer at the café that was on the campus. We cheated by not paying for this as we knew how to manipulate the game machine. I have now made towbah for this. Can I give an estimated amount of money to the current owners of the café as repayment? If yes, do I give it to one of the employees at the café? What do I say to them? I am also not sure if the café is still being owned by the same owners as this happened over 20 years ago. Also, I am not sure if the machines belonged to the café or to a third party. The café was not owned by the university but was run by an independent company.

2. As a child (naabaaligh) I stole sweets from my uncle’s shop and money from my brother’s cupboard. I am too shy to now approach them to tell them this. Is there any way I can pay back for this without them coming to know? Can I give it to them as a gift without telling them what it is for? Also does it have to be returned as money or can I give them a gift in kind (eg. fruit, books, etc) to the exact amount?

3. As a child (naabaaligh) I stole scissors and rulers from my school stockroom. Can I pay back to the government through an extra amount of tax?

4. When I was a child (naabaaligh), I used to steal money from a game in a café. I may perhaps be able to trace the owner of the café. But I do know that the games were owned by a third party whom I do not know. How do I pay back for this?

5. As a child, another child gave me toy cars that he had stolen from a shop. Do I need to pay back for this and how?