Trade

Q: I have been receiving numerous requests from across the country to open branches of my business all over, since I have a unique business concept. However, because of the capital and the headache involved with the admin, I wish to start franchising/licensing out our concept.

I want to let my franchisees deal directly with my suppliers, and then ask them for a monthly commission/royalty based on purchases. This income will be to cover the set-up of an admin department to negotiate national prices. Is this allowed in Islam?

Q: We are a group of Muslims thinking of starting an online web shop for Muslim married couples. We would like to sell adult related items (sex toys). Is this permissible?

Q: 

1. Zaid goes to a farm and chooses an animal for his qurbaani. This animal is marked and reserved for Zaid. Zaid pays for this animal. The animal dies of natural causes before Eid. Who sustains the loss? Zaid or the farmer? Is the farmer obliged to replace Zaid? If the farmer out of his good nature replaces Zaid, should he first inform him of the death of his animal?

2. Zaid selects and marks an animal. The farmer notices that the animal is sick and may succumb. Can he use his discretion and slaughter the animal and replace Zaid with a similar animal? Or is he required to first get permission from Zaid? I.e. to slaughter the animal and to replace it.

3. Zaid selects and marks an animal. After a few days the farmer notices a defect on the animal which disqualifies its permissibility to slaughter for qurbaani. E.g. the animal is blind. No one is sure as to when this defect came about. I.e. prior to Zaid’s choosing the animal or not.

   • Is the farmer obliged to replace Zaid?

   • What should Zaid do with this animal now that he is the owner of a defective animal? Can he slaughter it without the intention of qurbaani and consume the meat? Or is he required to distribute the meat to the poor?

   • Must Zaid purchase another animal if he is financially able to do so?

4. On the days of Eid Zaid accidently slaughtered an animal which was reserved for Bakar. Bakar had marked and paid for it. Does Zaid have to pay Bakar in cash or should he replace Bakar with another animal? Who’s qurbaani is discharged, Zaid’s or Bakar’s?

5. A farmer is requested to perform the qurbaani on behalf of many people. They do not come to the farm and slaughter the animals themselves. It often occurs that two or three people’s qurbaani is accidently missed out.

   • What must the farmer now do? Should he slaughter the animal after the days of qurbaani and distribute the meat or should the person who appointed him do that?

   • If the farmer does not inform the person who appointed him of his mistake rather he slaughters the animal and distributes its meat to the poor. He then slaughters another animal as a recompense to the one who appointed him and gives this animal to him without informing him that this is not his qurbaani animal. This person is under the impression that this is his qurbaani animal. Is such a practice correct?

   • Can the farmer slaughter a few extra animals with a general niyyat of qurbaani that this may suffice for those he possibly may miss out?

Q: 

1. Can one advertise on Television?
2. Can one sell Televisions?

Q: Is it permissible to sell artificial hair?

Q: I have one question - is it permissible to buy cleaned Sea Shells from an Arts and Craft Shop and use it for internal house decoration, eg in the bathroom. 

Q:

1. If women have gold, silver, and diamond crucifixes, aum, and Buddha jewellery before excepting Islam, what should they do with them? Should they have them melted and redesigned or should they bury them?
2. What is the punishment for Muslims selling jewellery for kuffaar religions?
3. Can Muslims wear jewellery that has the name of Allah and ayaat from the Quran in lockets when we don't have wudhu?