Business and Dealings

Q: My bank used to pay me interest before I stopped it. Is zakat due on this interest money?

Q: Is it permissible for one to have an ATM installed in his store? The ATM machine offers a person many benefits and advantages such as being able to withdraw money from one’s account, view one’s bank balance, etc. The ATM, however, can also be used to withdraw interest-bearing loans using a credit card.

Q: What is the ruling regarding the following situation:

At the time of Qurbaani, certain stock farmers sell sheep and goats to the public. They charge a stipulated fee for providing the services of skinning the animal, slicing and parceling the meat for all those people who wish to do Qurbaani at their farm. Before the days of Qurbaani, people go to the farms, and after selecting the animals, purchase them from the farmers. After purchasing the animals they leave the animals on the farms to be slaughtered during the days of Qurbaani.

Other people merely phone the farmer and purchase their animals over the phone without going to the farm and selecting the animals. At times, the farmer selects and marks an animal for the client (e.g. sheep, goat, etc.) and concludes the transaction over the phone on the specific marked animal. At times, the sale is concluded over the phone, however the farmer does not select and mark any animal at the time of concluding the sale. Since the farmer knows that he has extra animals in the pen, he concludes the transaction on an unspecified animal with this in mind that on the day of Qurbaani, he will select an animal for the client and carry out his Qurbaani.

Is this method of purchasing the animal and carrying out the Qurbaani correct where the animal is not selected by the purchaser but by the farmer himself according to both situations explained (i.e. where the farmer concludes the sale on a specific marked animal or on an unspecified animal and only specifies it at the time of slaughter)? If this is not the correct method of purchasing, then what is the correct Shar’ee method of purchasing the Qurbaani animal and asking the farmer to slaughter it on one’s behalf?

Q: Is exchanging gifts among friends on the day of Aashura an established practice?

Q: My boss, who is Christian, told me that he likes the Turkish nation soccer team shirt. So I bought him one in order to give it to him as a present. I bought it and then I saw it has the blue eye on the inside (which some people falsely believe it will protect from evil eye). Was it wrong to give him this present, as the shirt has something on which is shirk? It's a small blue eye on the inside.

Q: Please advise on lease agreements:

1. Is it necessary for a formal lease agreement contract to be in conformity with the Shariah? I understand that any faasid, baatil, or haraam conditions made compulsory by the Government will be excused.

2. Also, is it possible that on account of a lease agreement with faasid, baatil, or haraam conditions, the rent the lessor receives will be haraam money?

Q: I would like some advice. I am looking to purchase a property for primary home residence, as rentals are becoming rather high and increase each year. However I am in a lot of debt. Do I go ahead and consider purchasing the property, or is it best to rather wait until debts are reduced, before taking on such a huge commitment.

Q: My question relates to UIF claims. Is it permissible to claim UIF benefits from the fund? If not, then can one claim back to the extent of one's contribution value ie 1.5% percent of ones monthly salary over the number of years that he contributed?

Q: I am creating / developing my ecommerce store (on wordpress) selling various products online. It requires some Plugins / Extensions to be installed which are PAID. I am enrolled in a course (on Udemy) where my tutor gave me all those (required) plugins for FREE to use them on my own ecommerce site.

P.S: I don't know whether my tutor owns them or he grabbed them from somewhere else. I did sent him an email asking that but haven't heard from him. If I use those plugins on my site, and the income which will be generated from my store will be Halal or Haram? Can you please guide me on this?

Q: I bought something from a person and then saw that it was slightly damaged. When I complained to the seller, he offered me a discount. Can I accept the discount?