Trade

Buying an item on terms for a fixed price

Q: I want to buy furniture for my house as I am shifting to a new flat. But I can't really pay cash currently. But the shopkeeper is charging interest on that. So is it permissible? I have heard that if I know the total increased price then it is permissible. e.g If I buy a car now I have to pay 8000 but on instalments the new price will be 10,000. But they increase it and say that its the interest rate. However I know the final price so is it permissible?

Encouraging customer to take finance

Q: I want to sell my car and I know that in most cases, people will not be able to buy it cash. I know a car dealer who arranges finance from the bank for customers. Can I advertise the car and say that finance can be arranged, and when a customer comes to me, I will send him to the car dealer who I know will assist him with the finance? Will this be permissible?

Selling novels

Q: We have a bookshop selling Urdu and international novels. As you know there is romance in every novel. I want to know whether it is permissible to sell novels or not in Islam. Kindly reply in accordance with Qur'an and Ahaadith or some early scholars.

Using fake software

Q: If I have been using several versions of windows Operating systems (sometimes copies sometimes fake/cracked serial) shall I purchase individually all the copies I have used? Problem is I don't remember all the softwares I have used and for how much time I used them. Does it constitute as debt if I don't purchase all the versions of windows I have used? Thanking you in advance for your time and consideration.

Ambiguity in business transactions

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?