Valid & Invalid transactions

Q: I have a question about a certain crypto exchange group called “mega”. Basically it’s a group that trades in a platform called “2139 exchange”. Me and my friends group joined this group because we did our research and we didn’t find anything haraam concerning it. But now I’m having some doubts. 

Basically a certain individual studies the market and predicts the direction of a certain currency and makes profits through the price fluctuations. The participants can join the trade through a futures feature and get a profit but he takes a percentage also when the participants withdraw their profits he also takes a percentage. So I want to know if it’s halaal or haraam because I heard some people saying it’s like gambling. 

Q: Could mufti advise on the following: 

Person A owns a Cash n Carry, person B and person C both are his customer's and purchase from him. At the premises of person A, person B and C meet and start transacting on person A's premises. Person A in turns tells Person B that person C is my customer and you cannot supply him. 

1. Is this type of clause permissable in shariah where person A stops person B from supplying person C as he feels it's his customer. 

2. If person B and C transacted on person A's property, is the sale valid.

Q: I need clarification on giving good paid reviews to a website. 

The previous week one individual from UK reached me on WhatsApp to start working on a website called intrepid travelling links. I worked about 3 hours giving reviews to the site. They pay us using bitcoin which we will convert to our local banks. I think the company pays for good reviews to boost their ratings. Is it halal? 

By giving reviews. Should I use it. Continue work or leave it. Reviews are given after using company services but they do this way. Should I use it regularly. Or I should work and spend the money on needy people? Kindly share as per Shariah.

Q: If a person does not own any products, he cannot sell them according to the hadith. But what will be the ruling for customized products which are made on order? 

For example, furniture, customized packagings, custom business cards, custom printed clothes and many other things which are made only on order. These things cannot be kept in stock, because every product is made as per customer's requirements. Such products are neither with the seller nor with any factory. Because such products can be made only when the customer places the order, as per customer's requirements. 

So my question is whether I can take the order from the customer as per my price and give it to the factory? And can I take the full money from the customer in advance? Please clear my doubt.

Q: Regarding online trading, be it a commodity or currency, it is been said that it's not permissible based on both exchanges being deferred and if 1 exchange is deferred and the other is not then is it permissible? 

Can you explain further what is meant by deferred exchanges?

Q: I wanted to know the Share'ee ruling on "Buy 1 Get 1 Free" deals that many merchants offer in their stores. 

For example, buy 1 case of water, get 1 free. Or buy 1 cellular line and get 1 free. These are offers that are conditional on a purchase of 1 item at least. They're usually incentives to get the customer to buy them for various reasons (they want to remove the item from their shelves, or it's a sales/marketing strategy, or simply a competitive deal in a free market). Is such a deal permissible for the buyer, or is this considered riba? 

Another type of deal that's similar is buying a certain quantity to get a better deal than buying 1. For example, 1kg of tomatoes is RS 50 but 2 KG is 40 (a savings of RS 10). Is such a deal permissible for the buyer?

Q: Please advise regarding below: 

There is a group/consortium that allows you to join them for an admin fee of R1000 a month. 

The benefit of joining them is that once you are affiliated with them, you get extra discounts from the suppliers with whom they have negotiated better rates for all those who are affiliated with them. 

Thus, when I go to any supplier, I just need to mention to him that I am part of this group, and they will give me a 5% or 10% discount due to me being a member of the group. 

The benefit of a member is that the group has better buying power and can negotiate better rates which later assist the members of the group. 

Besides these discounts negotiated on behalf of the group, they do not provide advertising or any other services to any of the members. Is this arrangement permissible?

Q: There's a trend among large retailers of using a marketing strategy called odd pricing, eg. $4.99, instead of $5. This is based on the psychological trickery of making a price more appealing. Muslim informal traders have now adopted this same strategy.

Firstly: Is this allowed, considering the origin and deceitful nature.

Secondly: These Muslim traders accept the full amount of $5. Unlike the large retailers, who give your change, the Muslim traders offer no change to the customer. This price is sometimes $199, and when accepting $200, no change is offered. Is this permissible? Surely, this is a form of stealing. At the very least, trickery.

When called out, they offer 'Urf as an excuse, saying this is the general usage in a community. However, the retailers who use this strategy gives the customer his due change. So it does not equate to the same.

Q: I was at this fastfood shop last week and I bought a 3 chicken wings meal. I came home and saw that I was given 4. Normally I don’t worry about this since usually I assume this occurs if one of the wing pieces is small so they give another to compensate, however, because I’m dealing with religious OCD and doubts, I’m worried. I called them today and they confirmed that sometimes they do this for the reason I mentioned above. Can I assume that this is what occurred in my case instead of thinking that they made a mistake?

Q: Shein, an online store has a points system. For everyday the user checks in they are given points, for every review on items bought u are given points.

When orders are received and you confirmed its received, you are given points and these points are then accumulated and converted into rands for which you can use for purchases.

Is this points system valid?

Also, they have a coupon system where if you purchase over a certain amount, there is a discount. Is this permissible?