Ijaarah

Slowing down one's electricity meter due to electricity being expensive

Q: I am using government electricity. The government charges on electricity are very unfair since the area where I stay is a bit of a rich people area. They charge us more whereas electricity in the surroundings/other areas is much cheaper. So thats why I decided to slow down my prepaid meter. Is it right/permitted in Islam?

Doing personal work during work hours

Q: I want to ask question about the personal work on job timings.

I have been working in a university as a software developer. During the job timing I'm working on my own work. Because the total university work that I got takes me only 2-3 days. The rest of the month I am free.

Can you please tell me the work that I have done during my job timing is haraam or halaal?

Four people staying in a room which was booked for two people

Q: I stayed with friends at a rented accomodation where in the agreement, only 2 people are allowed to stay each night for around 100$ per night. However, we lied to the owner and agreed that only 2 people will stay while actually 4 people stayed. We didnt think this was wrong since we would only use the accomodation for sleeping and wanted to save money. So technically we broke the agreement and cheated the owner.

What is the best way to fix this as we are afraid that in the akhirah, we will be punished, since we used his property not according to the agreement. If we reach out to him, he may take action against us so we are afraid. Could we pay him the money for the 2 extra people (we assume it will be 50$ per night per person) and give it to him anonymously? Or can we just donate this amount to chairty because we are afraid to tell him.

Studying graphic design

Q: I am a student and I want to make a career in graphic designing. Is it permissable? I have searched it on the internet and some say that it is haram to draw any living thing and some are saying that you are drawing without the intention of being equal to Allah. Some are saying it is not a real image, it is just a graphic in the form of rays on your screen. I am extremely confused.

Transporting alcohol

Q: I am a truck driver, doing deliveries and pickups mostly all day. Today I was asked to pick a load from a brewery, which is alcohol. I asked the management to change it because I am a Muslim and not allowed to deal with alcohol. Its been two hours and I am sitting in my truck waiting for the decision to be made by management, which can be mean that I could be fired or forced to go home. Kindly let me know if I am allowed to haul alcohol or not, particularly in my case. 

Taking up a profession that requires drawing pictures of animate objects

Q: Can I give an entry test of an architecture university that might require to draw a face. And, can I practice for doing that beforehand. The university would also teach sculpture, art, etc. in the first year and I might be (or might definitely) be required to draw/sculpt faces and other things, etc. What is the ruling on this?