Business and Dealings

Q: My brother took a loan from me for 2-3 days by telling me that he needs the money urgently and he had sold his shop and would get money in 2-3 days and pay me. But he was lying to me. He was under heavy debt taken from many people and was not selling his shop (I don't know if he had a shop at all). He just wanted to take money from me.

Four years have passed and he has not returned a single penny. Had he told me the truth, I would have given him only a small amount of money as a loan, and not all my money from which I was making my earning. Now he is expecting to receive some money (about 25% of my loan) but he refused to pay me. The reason is that he wants to educate his daughter at a medical college and needed money for her.

My question is: If my brother gets any money, is he obliged to educate his children first or pay my loan first? He argues that his children are his responsibility. My argument is that I gave him all my money I was using to earn a living for my children.

Q: Will it be permissible to spend on your mother on Yaumul Aashuraa? 

Q: I am a businessman from Pakistan. I was looking into a new business opportunity which is in the kids entertainment industry. I was keen to know whether this sort of business is halal or not.

Basically we are looking into opening a kids play area which will have a softplay area and will have a few games like sports e.g. rock climbing or similar games. Mainly our focus will be kids of all ages but we are expecting teenage girls and boys as well. We won't be able to segregate the play areas.

Secondly, we might also have video games which include cartoon characters and some small rides for kids which are shaped as animals or cartoon characters. I am fully aware that music is haram so we are not planning to use any kind of music in the background.

Q: Is it permissible for a Muslim to sell hot cross buns in his store?

Q:

1. Are Muslims allowed to trade with Jews?

2. Can you please quote a Hadith or Quranic verse?

Q: Is it permissible to use the soil from a verge for my own private use in my garden?

Q: Please can you assist with the following questions?

1. I have a *hajj account* as well as a *cheque account* with Al Baraka bank. The amount grows as per the profits the bank makes. Is this acceptable according to shariat? Should I cancel all growth and just keep the amount as is?

2. I have opened up an account with FNB shariat compliant for my son. He was given a lot of gifts Alhamdulillah, therefore we have kept all his monetary wealth in an FNB shariat compliant account. The amount in the account will grow. Is this acceptable? Should I rather ask the bank to stop all growth and let the amount stay as is?

3. Do I have to pay zakaat considering the wealth in my hajj account also? 

Q: Is it permissible to have shares in banks intending to derive dividends only from bank charges income even though the money is mixed?

Q:

1. Is it permissible for me to earn money through redirecting people to ad websites? When they click on a link on my website, they will first be directed to an ad website which will display an ad for few seconds and thereafter they will be directed to the link they clicked on. The ad website will pay me for each person who views their website via me directing them there. Will it be permissible for one to earn money in this way?

2. Will it be permissible for me to earn through advertising for people on my website? I will display people's ads on my website and the ads do not contain any haraam elements (pictures of animate objects, etc.)?