business

Q: Is it permissible to play the lotto in order to use the prize money as a loan to start a business? Once a profit is made, money equalling the lotto amount will be given away in charity.

Q:

1. Often, when tenants vacate the premises, they leave items behind. Is the landlord entitled to sell these items and keep the money?

2. In the event of a tenant absconding while owing the landlord rentals and other ancillary charges, can the landlord sell these items to recover his money? Is it necessary for him to inform the tenant?

Q: Is the trading concept of ‘drop shipping’ permissible? In ‘drop shipping’, the trader does not keep stock of any item. Instead, he accepts payment for the goods and then forwards the customer’s details to the supplier who will deliver directly to the customer. ‘Drop shipping’ is commonly found in online shopping. Is this permissible?

Q: My neighbour wanted to buy a cooking pot for R100. I told her not to buy it as I will get one for her for just R70. She agreed because she was saving R30 on the same pot. However, my intention was that I will buy the pot for just R55 and tell her that it cost R70. In this way, I will make R15 without telling her. Is this permissible?

Q: I purchased a brand-new stove last year from a Muslim brother who owns an appliance store. Two weeks ago, the thermostat blew. When the electrician opened the stove and was changing the thermostat, he noticed that the brand-new parts of the stove had been replaced with old, slightly damaged parts before it was sold to me. When I complained to the appliance store, they acknowledged the fault but were unhappy to give me a full refund because of the blown thermostat. What options do I have in Shari’ah?

Q: If a customer wishes to return an item that he purchased merely because he changed his mind and there was nothing wrong with the item, do I have to cancel the sale or can I refuse to cancel the sale?

Q: I am standing at a stall in a madrasah and selling things for the madrasah such as sweets, etc. The items do not belong to me but to the madrasah. Can I purchase items for myself from the stalls, or would this be impermissible since I would, in essence, be the buyer and the seller at the same time?

Q: I am a car dealer. I am not involved in finance. However, I accept different forms of payment, such as cash, EFT and via a card machine. Is it permissible for me to decide the price of a vehicle depending on the customer’s form of payment? The bank charges me 3,25% (for a credit card) and 1,75% (for a debit card) of the total amount if the card machine is used. Can I add this percentage onto the original price of the vehicle? If so, does it have to be the exact amount the bank charges me or can I round off or add to the amount as I desire?

Q: In certain fast food establishments, the staff are not paid wages. The staff survive on tips of the customers. Is this permissible in Islam?

Q: I’m an architect. I design residential buildings for my clients and take design consultancy in return. Yesterday, a marketing team visited me. They were selling LED lights. A single light costs $10. They offered me a discount of 20% if I recommend the lights to my clients. They also said that if I sell the light at full price to my clients, they will transfer the remaining 20% discount into my account. If I give a 10% discount to my clients, they will transfer the remaining 10% into my account. Also, it is in my authority to give a full 20% discount to my client. Is this arrangement permissible?.