Interest and Gambling

Claiming from the UIF fund

Q: At work, during the lockdown, we were working on a rotational basis. Hence we never get paid for the days we never work. However, the company has put in a request from the UIF fund. Is it permissible for me to consume this money from the UIF, should the amount be more then my total contribution towards it?

Paying towards a holiday club

Q: I recruit people to join a holiday club. The members will be asked to pay subscriptions. The money collected will be used to purchase holidays at various resorts and hotels in South Africa. The members will then be entered in a draw and the winners will go on the holiday. Some portion of the collected monies will be used for expenses. Is this permissible?

If it is, will I be accountable for the people, maybe non Muslims eating and drinking haraam food and partaking in such activities that they would do while on holiday?

Giving interest money to buy raffle tickets

Q: I had around $48.5 of interest money in my Australian bank account. I wanted to get rid of it by giving it to a poor person. A few days back, in my office, there was a collection for a bushfire relief fund and it required staff to buy some raffle tickets which the company was giving a gift to the winner. I thought of giving that interest money as a donation so I told them that I am happy to contribute $50 but won’t take any raffle tickets. They requested a lot so I took the raffle ticket but Alhamdulillah I didn’t win any prize.

Now my question is, was my niyat of getting rid of the interest money fulfilled or not? Do I still need to give that $48.5 to a poor person or will the amount of $50 which I gave in charity suffice?

Using money and calculating zakaat from a life insurance payout

Q: I had taken out a life insurance policy with a dread disease cover many years ago. (I call that my pre-hidayat days). I have now been paid out part of the money for a dread disease, which is part of the life cover. Can I calculate all the premiums I paid over the years and take the money out of the payout as halaal money for myself? Can I use the balance of the payout for Income Tax payment. I would then cancel the policy. 

Also, what are the zakaat implications regarding this money if it is halaal. Do I need to calculate zakaat from the time I started paying the premiums or not?

Bank competition

Q:

1. A conventional banking company runs a competition where a car can be won. Entry to the competition is free and open to customers and non-customers of the bank. The banking company itself will be the entity awarding the prize, not the car company, nor any other entity associated. Is entering such a competition permissible?

2. Similarly, a bank is offering branded pencils, pens, rulers, key rings, notebooks, etc. as gifts to customers and non-customers for marketing purposes. Will this be permissible to accept and use?