Business and Dealings

Q: My friend has a business of selling stitched female clothes. I'm in another city and she made a deal with me and my sister that for every dress that I will struggle to get sold in my city, I'll be getting some profit ranging from 50 to 500 rupees, depending on what type of dress it is. So I call my female friends and relatives, and sometimes when I meet them, I tell them about the dresses, take their sizes and send them to my friend in the other city. She stitches the dresses and gives them to my sister who is also working with us. My sister then delivers the dress to my city. Is this income halal?

Q: I am interested in being an Occupational Therapist, and I am a Muslim male. Occupational Therapy is a female-dominated profession, with about 90 percent being females. The nature of the profession involves helping people of all ages who have disabilities regain independence so they can do things they used to do, such as work and play. In Occupational Therapy school, I will be required to touch both males and females on the arms, legs, back, and shoulders for practice. Then when I begin working I will be required to treat both male and female patients. Treating them would require contact with the opposite gender, usually on the hand, back, shoulder, and arm on a regular basis. Would this job be considered halal since I am not doing any touching involving lust, but rather for work and to make the patient better? Or would it be haram in all cases and should I find another profession? By the way, my parents really want me to do it - they are also Muslims but not very religious. 

Q: I’m in a deep and serious problem with which I need some guidance. I’m in a deep debt, owing few private individuals money and I’m owing the bank also. I’ve realized the evil of riba and sincerely made and continue making taubah and asking Allah to for help to come out of debt.

Currently I’m paying little here and there just so that I pay the monthly installments as not to get into problems. Now the main concern is the private individuals are putting pressure that they need their money and I’m unable to pay them.

My question is:

Can I take another loan from the bank (as it is I am already in riba owing the bank) to pay the private individuals so that I will have only 1 debt after that and I can concentrate nicely and try as quick as possible to pay that amount off.

The way it is, paying little all over is not helping, it’s been carrying on like this for the past 2 years already and the loan is not coming down. 

Q: I am an accountant and maintain double vouchers/books of accounts from the actual books for the purpose of reducing the taxes on sale income and also to increase the expenditure from the actual expenses to show that the company has less profit. I make double vouchers and books for tax purposes ordered by the company's owner. My question is, is my profession jaiz or not? Is the salary which I receive are halal or haram?

Q: Is it haram or halal to do events managing business. Event management activities on the request of the customer includes providing fancy decoration, catering, decorating stage, arranging DJ for music. Please also clarify which activity is permissible and which is not. The events include birthday parties, wedding ceremonies, bridal shower (party before wedding), baby shower (party before birth of baby).

Q: Is it permissible to buy and sell ladies clothes? Nowadays, the clothes are according to the latest trend and fashion in the market which is not in our control. The clothes include shirts and trousers which ladies wear nowadays. Is it halaal or haraam?

Q: Is it permissible to work as a cashier in a gas station, where liquor, lottery tickets, cigarettes, haraam food, etc. are sold on an hourly basis?

Q: Sometimes store owners ask us to help them out with stock that has not been sold and is sometimes past the sell by date.

1. Is it permissible to give them back the full value of the stock as a credit?

2. Is it permissible to swap the stock directly for a fresh lot?

Q: I gave R500 000 to a factory owner as an investment. Every single month, he gives me R30 000. Is that R30 000 halaal or haraam?

Q: My municipality water account has run high due to unforeseen reasons. The amount is not a substantial amount. I am old and currently receiving pension. It will take me many many years to pay it off. Please advise if interest money can be used to pay it off.