Business and Dealings

Working as a data statistic analyst in a media advertising agency

Q: I am currently unemployed in Australia as I recently migrated and now I have got a job offer in media advertising agency as a Data Statistic Analyst which involves working on Microsoft office and other data tools.

My query is, as the company deals with video advertising and media work so will my rizq be halal? Islamically am I authorised to work in such organisation? 

Developing an online selling website for a person who will sell images

Q: I work as a freelance web designer and programmer. Recently, a client asked me to create a website with an online store system to sell PSD files. PSD file stands for PhotoShop document. They can be simple graphic designs or images that people use (for example, book printing companies always purchase book cover PSDs).

I programmed and designed the online store. Once I reached the final steps of my work, I found out that this client will use the website I built to sell some weird images. These images are not pornographic, but they are very weird 3D models of people (mainly half-naked girls), for some game companies. Apparently, the game companies buy this person’s designs to use in their games. These images are not classed as pornographic, but they have so much weird sexual underflow.

I get paid a one-time payment for creating the “online selling platform”. I do not “host” this website for the client. My job was just to make a selling system for digital files and it stops there. Similarly, I will not be uploading the pictures to the site. Will the money that I earn through creating this site be halaal? Keep in mind that I did not know what the purpose of this site was.

Trading one tuna for two salmons

Q: I have been curious for a while now about, "what is considered the same جنس when it comes to fish"... more specifically, can I trade 1 tuna for 2 salmons, would it be riba? Is the جنس the entire species of fish (which would entail riba) or is it in each respective sub-species, e.g. tune, salmon, yellowtail etc.?

Receiving extra money from the company one worked for

Q: This incident happened 10 years back.

I worked for an American company in UAE. While travelling in UAE, I billed the company for my travel expenses (as per the company policy) the bill was for 20,000 Dirhams but they transferred USD 20,000 in my account. I contacted the finance person and asked him to send the correct amount and withdraw the wrong amount. He did that, however, few days later, another USD 20,000 was deposited in my account. I contacted the bank this time but they told me it’s the correct amount as per the transfer. So I didn't do anything for 5 years. Few years back (feeling uneasy) I contacted the company again to see if they wanted their money back but I didn’t get a response. What should I do since I have already used this money? I have been giving out sadaqah with the intention of paying back this amount. Is this correct?

Charging the client for the delivery note

Q: Zaid (a wholesaler) sold goods on credit to the value of R100 000 to Amr (a retailer) on 15 January 2018. The goods were delivered on the same day and the customer’s copy of the delivery note was signed by Amr and given to him for his records with the goods that were delivered to him on the same day. On 26 February 2018 the amount owed for the goods was still outstanding and Amr realised that his goods receiving clerk misplaced the delivery note that was given with the goods. Amr was very concerned that his auditors will insist on inspecting the copy of the delivery note so he quickly contacted Zaid and requested a copy of the delivery note that the supplier normally keeps. Zaid informed Amr that his company’s policy is to charge R100 for this request as it requires the time of his admin clerk who has to leave whatever work he is doing and now attend to searching through the company records, locating that particular delivery note, then scanning it and emailing it. Amr is very happy to pay the R100 fee so long as he gets a copy of the delivery note.

Is it permissible for Zaid to charge Amr this agreed upon fee for the copy of the delivery note?