Business and Dealings

Q: I've a question which keeps disturbing me. Before traveling to another city where my mom lives, I bought an abaya from a local shop in Jeddah for my mother. Unfortunately that abaya was not my mom's size. After 2 weeks my husband and I went to the shop and returned it but the shopkeeper was reluctant to take it back and when he got to know that it's been weeks he refused to take it back because he didn't want to give us the cash back. When my husband persuaded him he said okay if you bring back the box in which the abaya came I'd take it back. the box was of almost no monetary value and he had tons of it in his shop and usually people don't take boxes with them they just take the abaya in a bag. We had the abaya in the bag and the abaya was never worn but he wouldn't agree. He just didn't want to take it back. My husband was very polite in the beginning but then he got angry and with some argument the shopkeeper cut 10% from the original cost and gave us the cash back very rudely. My husband said to his face that bengalis are bad people, I tried to stop my husband but he was way too angry. The shopkeeper said that I'll see you on the judgment day and take my money. It's been 2-3 months but I still feel guilty. I dunno if we were at right or wrong? Should We return the shopkeeper his money or should we let it go? Usually there no conditions on return or exchange. And abayas are sold too quickly so even if you got an abaya on order you can return and it and get another. I dunno law of shariah here. I just want to know that if the money was not haram for us because my husband forced the shopkeeper.

Q: I would like to know I have done a course in sap basis and I want to apply for a job as a fresher. I won't get any offers so in my city I can get experience by paying amount to the consultant. Hence by adding that experience to my resume is allowed with actually not working for those company's. Is it ok in shariyah to do this, please advice me.

Q: I have given some money to a person who promised me to give me back on Wednesday but he didn't, then he promised to give me Friday and he broke his promise again. Likewise it is more than a week now and I still did not get my money back. I fear he might have tricked me to take money from me and he actually didn't need it urgently.

1. My question is that he also knows my brother and he may ask my brother for money as well and he do the same to him. Can I inform my brother about this so that he is aware of the situation and he does not get tricked?

2. If I complain to my brother about him then this will this be counted as back biting (gheebat) and I should not tell my brother?

Q: In islam, is there any kind of method to buy a house. I am living in Europe and I can't afford to pay all the money. I am living in a house of rent and paying 500 euros rent per month.

Q: I'm doing business of non alcoholic perfumes and Attars. The fragrances, which I sell come from a company in india (total hindus), keva fragrances. This company also uses synthetic animal derivatives such as civet oil, etc. in their perfume oils. They said, we can give halal declaration of any product, but did not show any halal certification. 

Secondly, this company is partly owned by blackstone, a giant company of USA, which deals in real estate, credit, equity, etc. involving interest as well. My question is that whether it is preferable to sell their products to earn, as they are strict Hindus and might be involved directly or indirectly in interest also. Secondly, the use of synthetic animal derivatives in fragrances are halal to use and sell?

Q: Our company has a pension fund that has various portfolios options of which one is a shariah compliant option. The problem is that the fund is loosing so much on my money monthly. Do you continue loosing money or place it in a safe interest bearing portfolio?

Q: I have a commercial property which I want to rent out. I have been approached by a bookmaker who wants to hire the premises. The bookmaker conducts business through a chain of licensed betting shops all over the country. Is it allowed for me, as a landlord, to rent the premises to a business of this type?

Q: I am looking for a job. I have seen many vacancies in banking sector but as its prohibited in Islam I never looked to work into banking. Its been a long time I have been looking to find a job. I have got an opportunity to work with one of the MNC, but they provide service to insurance company and my profile will be customer service executive. Its a BPO service provider. So should I join this company or not. Please help me in this case.

Q: I went to a college in 2015 and for three months I missed payments to them. I want to pay it back now but I only want to pay for two months. Because the one month we did not do much work and they wasted my time. Can I pay for two months or do I have to pay for all three months? They have no record of it, and they are not asking. But I know that I missed three payments. Do I have to pay for it or must leave it?

Q: Sending this on behalf of someone: If I buy a property and the bank finances it and I pay a set amount plus interest every month to the bank, is it halaal or haraam?