Trade

The ruling pertaining to things which are halaal and haraam

Q: Please advise if the sale of the following is permissible and the income halaal:

1. Recipe books that contain some recipes with haraam items listed as ingredients, like pork or wine.

2. Medical books that contain some haraam treatments/methods. For example, in addition to all permissible things, a book with a chapter on yoga.

3. Books on topics like "Productivity","Leadership Skills", "Having a better life", "How to raise children" etc. written by kuffar and with their ideologies.

4. Sporting equipment like cricket bats, soccer-balls, surfboards, table-tennis tables, dart boards etc.

5. Items with the flag of a non-Muslim country on it. For example, a cell phone cover, a key ring, a sandal etc.

6. Purely futile and useless items, like decorative vases, expensive ornaments, doilies etc.

7. A person points out that many Deobandi Masaajid have TV's installed for Salaah times and notices. He says that when such high ranking 'Ulama have allowed TV's to be put up in the Masjid, and we do not see any other Ulama objecting to it (and also Ulama continue giving bayaans and having programs at such Masaajid) then it is therefore permissible for one to sell TV's. He adds that if Masjid funds can be used to buy a TV to put up in a Masjid, then why can't he sell TV's as the dual purpose of the TV is now clear with its incorporation in even the Masjid. Is this correct?

Pet food

Q: I have a supermarket and I am a retailer of basic food and groceries. I would like to know if it is permissible for me to sell any pet food (dogs and cats) as none of the variants (tin or dry) are halaal certified. Also as a pet owner, is it permissible for me to store and feed my pets these meals (dry or in a can)?

Advertising an item that one does not have possession off

Q:

1. Say I place advertisements for commodities that I do not have possession of. The advert will not mention that I do not currently possess such items. Anyone seeing the advert the will be given the impression that I do possess such items, but no lie/deception will take place. Then when customers contact regarding these products I will take down their orders, but not take payment. Only once I purchase and physically possess these items from my supplier, I will then contact the customers regarding payment. Is this manner of advertising commodities that I do not have possession of permissible?

2. After paying the supplier for the product, the supplier sends it to me via a courier company. Whilst this product is still travelling to me across the country in the possession of the courier company, but nevertheless after I have paid for the product, can I sell such a product to a customer?

Copyright

Q: A layperson says that even though copyright is haraam, it is nevertheless unethical and against Islamic spirit to copy and freely distribute copyright materials. As in doing so, the company that had produced such copyrighted material in fact loses large numbers of potential customers who had rather opted for the free, pirated copy instead. He says that such behaviour is Islamically unethical as many companies are being deprived of business and customers. His issue is not with copyright, but with those people who freely distribute otherwise costly copyrighted materiel or resell it cheaply. His says such people are unethical and un-Islamic in spirit - but not that there actions are impermissible. He then cites a 2010 report that claims the global loss to software piracy is over $50 billion as a support of his argument. Is there any substance to his claims on the basis of taqwa, ethics, and Islamic spirit?

Reviewing videos on YouTube

Q: I want to make videos on YouTube in which I review children’s toys. My face will not be visible in the video. All you will see in the video is my hands and the toy. The toys will mostly be play dough, animal figures and human figures. Please advise if this is permissible.

Selling coffins

Q:

1) Is it permissible for a Muslim to sell coffins to:

a. Muslims?

b. Non-muslims?

2) The following categories of Muqtadis are present for a Jamaat Salaat:

•Mature males
•Immature males
•Mature females
•Immature females

What will be the order in which the sufoof (rows)  are arranged?