Ijaarah

Income of an insurance agent

Q: My husband works as an insurance agent. If he invests his earnings in a business or buys a house to give on rent. Then is the profit acquired from such business or the rent got from the house going to be halaal for us. If not then why, because we are all depending on him? Please answer in the light of Quran and Hadith.

Rental based on percentage of turnover

Q: Is it permissible for the lessor to charge the lessee a rental based on his turnover in the case where they fix a ceiling for the maximum rental and they are both pleased with this type of agreement? Some people say that it is permissible, even though the rental is not fixed. They compare this to the case where one hires a rep to sell one’s merchandise and pays him a commission based on the sales he does. Just as his wage is not fixed, but is determined through his total sales, similarly determining the rental of a leased property through the turnover should be permissible. Is this view correct?

Encouraging customers to apply for a credit card

Q: I work in a department store, and as part of the job we are obliged to encourage customers to get a store card, which is a credit card, and if they do, to open accounts for them. I too have to sign their contracts which states they must pay interest if they miss or fail to make their payment on time. What is the ruling on credit cards, and is this work permissible?

Fixing a ceiling in turnover clause rental agreement

Q: I read the fatwa regarding rental based on percentage of turnover being impermissible. I would like to query further that in the case where the landlord fixes a maximum amount for the rental, so that in the event of the turnover being a very large amount, the rental will not surpass the ceiling that has been fixed for the rental, will the ruling change in anyway? Most commercial properties work in this way and many tenants request this type of an agreement and are pleased with it.

Installing an ATM machine on one’s premises

Q: Your answer on installing an ATM refers : "since it is possible for one to withdraw interest bearing loans through this medium, it will not be permissible to install an ATM on one’s premises as one will be aiding in the sin of riba (interest)."

Question: 1) Will it not fall in the category of having a dual purpose as it is possible to withdraw halaal savings also. The property owner cannot be responsible for someone that uses the ATM for a wrong purpose similar to the sale of grapes?

2) If the illat is "the possibility of withdrawing interest bearing loans" then till point credit card machines should also be impermissible as a person whose account is already in overdraft is in fact paying by using "interest bearing loans " irrespective of using the budget or straight option of payment.

Working for an Islamic Bank

Q: I was a Bank Manager in a Conventional Bank. I left the Bank after Allah Ta'ala blessed me with His guidance. Immediately after I left my Bank job, I got an offer from a person which was very good, almost too good to be true. I joined this person but as the days passed, all my savings from my previous Job were taken from me and I was left with nothing. Thereafter I remained jobless for almost 7 months after which I received an offer from a former acquaintance and I accepted. That job related to IT software very new to me but I managed to learn and work. After 4 years, the business turned bad and the company was dissolved. Now, I'm jobless again. Many people want me to join an Islamic Bank but I'm not sure if it is Islamic at all. I'm afraid that if I join the same sector, Islamic or otherwise, all the hardship I went through to get away from "Riba" would be useless. Please guide me about an Islamic Bank. Should I join?

Paying one's staff the full salary

Q: I am heading a small stitching and knitting centre where three ladies work. They are all Alhamdulillah purda observant and no male goes there. One of them is on a permanent job. Rest of the two also want their job to be permanent. But the problem is they are overage. They say that they will provide duplicate identity card with less age than actual. That's how the first lady also got permanent. Right now they receive only Rs.5000 and getting permanent means Rs.15000 salary. They are needy and very hard working. They have been working like that for 5-6 years but no increase in wage unless they get permanent. My husband has the authority to give job. I want to ask that will it be appropriate for my husband to give them job while we know that their NIC is a fake one? I really wish to help them but how?