Interest and Gambling

Should one take and a loan from a bank to buy a house or continue paying rent?

Q: I am residing in a rented house for the last 3 years and my monthly rent is being paid to a private owner by my organization. In future, I will remain living in the rented house. If I could get a loan from any bank to purchase a house for myself and pay the same monthly rent to the bank against that loan and in this way I shall become the owner of that house in 15-20 years time without affecting my financial liabilities. Is it Halal or Haram way?

Road Accident Fund

Q: This is a follow up question on the Road Accident Fund question:  

The court orders the RAF to pay interest (which is not interest according to Shari’ah) for late payment of the R100 000. Because the RAF paid 6 months later, the plaintiff received R100 000 from the RAF plus an additional amount (over and above the R100 000) for late payment as per court order.

This ‘extra interest amount’ (which is not interest money according to the Shari’ah) which is received from the Road Accident Fund, can it be classified as ta’zeer bil maal (monetary penalty)? If it is ta’zeer bil maal then is this extra amount permissible to use?

Playing sports for money

Q: I want to ask a few questions about gambling

1. If two teams play cricket for money and the one who loses the match will have to give money, is this permissible?

2. If two teams play cricket for money and the looser will have to give money and the winner uses this money for cricket material, this way both teams will get benefit. Is this permissible?

3. If two teams play cricket for money and the one who loses will have to give food/party to all the teams. Is this permissible?

Taking loans on interest in India

Q: From my understanding, scholars in India at one point gave a fatwa that it is permissible to take loans on interest, mainy because they were living in darul harb?

From my understanding Imam Muhammad and Imam Abu Hanifah was a proponent of that position. This position is the dominant opinion in the Hanafi Madhab?

I am asking because this is a fatwa that is in the works in my local community. I have never taken loans in my life and I don't plan on it but I would like to understand the topic further.

Accepting interest money to pay off debts

Q: I'm currently unemployed and had to close down my business and there isn't anyone else in my household working. I have debts too pay off apart from my usual monthly expenses. A family member has offered to give me interest money. Can I accept it and if so can I use it to pay off my immediate debts like my landlord for outstanding rental on the shop I had and one other individual and if there is money left over could I can use it to try and start a small business from home in order to try and earn an income (I don't know the amount of interest money).

Receiving interest money

Q: If x person doesn't have a good income in his business and his business is going in a loss. He doesn't have any other source of income. This x person has a relative who has some money saved in a bank. The bank gave interest to x person's relative for his money in the bank. Can the relative give this interest amout to x person? 

Using a credit card

Q: I have a credit card. When I become cash strapped I resort to the credit card due to ease of access and I always try to pay the debt on the credit card within 55 days as before this, there is no interest charged. However, buying/relying on this facility makes me feel impoverished and fearful of consuming things that I can pay for later. What do you advise me to do? Use the credit card and ensure that I always pay for the debt within the non-interest period? It is permissable to use credit cards?