Trade

Q: My wife bought a painting from someone which was still to be painted. She was given a description of what the painting would look like but she didn’t see it. She also didn’t know what the size of the painting would be. Also, when my wife enquired regarding the price, she was told, ‘‘Don’t worry. You don’t need to pay me.’’ After a few days, my wife asked the lady if she had started with the painting. She said, ‘‘No’’. So my wife told her that she no longer wanted the painting.

Two weeks later, the lady brought the painting and asked her to pay for it. My wife paid her because she didn’t want to cause problems. Besides not liking the painting, it was also too expensive. My questions are:

1. What is the condition of this transaction?

2. If the transaction is not correct, what is the way out?

Q: I want to open a salon for manicures, pedicures, facials, etc. Is this permissible? I will not be cutting hair, shaping eyebrows, etc.

Q: Is beauty salon business halaal?

Q: I have set up Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts for my company. I have installed both ‘image-blocking’ and ‘advert-blocking’ software on my internet browser that blocks all images and adverts which may appear on any site – but specifically for Twitter, Facebook, etc. Furthermore, my Twitter and Facebook accounts are linked – meaning that whatever I post on one site, will automatically appear on the other. I can do this for Instagram as well. Hence, my interaction with these sites will be kept to the minimum. I have set up these social media accounts for general marketing purposes and interacting with customers, etc. As the business is an online one with probably all the customers being international, this manner of interaction/advertising is probably most suitable for the technological nature of the company. In light of these precautions, can I make use of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for this express, business purpose?

Q: I would like to know if its permissible to sell computer based training (e.g. video training for microsoft word etc). It is not software, but videos that teach an individual how to work with that software. However it may have copyrights by an international company. It is not sold in south africa because it is very very expensive eg. R3000 and as you know education is expensive here. My main aim is to sell it to those who can't afford training and to help overcome south africas skills problem by educating people. The price I'll be selling will be close to nothing eg R80. The profit is for my time taken. I would like to know if this is permissible even if I do it without the companies permission. I obtained the material for free. All I'm doing is making copies and distributing it.

Q: Will it be correct to use a marketing "catch line" that is not applicable to that type of trade e.g. a person selling motor vehicles that he owns or a company selling foreign currency that it owns, markets the sale of these products as a "zero percent commission" sale when in fact commission is not applicable in this sale as there is no agency involved. This however creates the impression of an excellent deal psychologically.

Q: There is a Muslim publication that caters for people seeking jobs. Can this publication post an advert for an establishment seeking a bartender?

Q: A local supplier of sheep uses 1 of 2 methods in purchasing his sheep from a distant farmer:

1. The weight and description is given to him by the farmer telephonically.

2. He views digital images of the actual sheep as sent to him by the farmer.

Will the transaction of sale be correct in both situations considering he has not seen the actual animal?

Q: I was just wondering, is it true you can not sell cats or kittens?

Q:

1. I am planning to sell clothes and bags, some of which are original designs, but some are exact replicas of international brands. Since copying any branded item is forbidden by the law of all countries, and copying any such item means violating copyrights, is it haraam for me to sell such products? I will mention that these products are copies and not original.

2. If I sell a sleeveless dress or a dress that has net sleeves, will it be haraam if I know that the woman buying it will wear it in front of non-mahrams? Since I know that she does not cover herself, will I be helping her in sinning and will my earning be haraam?