Interest and Gambling

Q: Where do we have to spend bank interest money? Many are suggesting to give to a poor person. Kindly reply in accordance with Hanfi maslak.

Q: Are any of the following Interest Transactions?

1. If a person says "Buy this item for me when you go to the supermarket, it costs R40,but I will give you R50 tomorrow?
2. Loan me R40, I will give you R50 tomorrow, the extra R10 is a gift?
3. A person gives me R50 and says "Go buy this item for me, it costs R40 and you can keep the change?
4. If the person insists on giving the extra amount even when I tell him that it is Interest, what should I do with that money?

Q: A person chooses to deposit his additional cash in the bank for safe keeping due to safety concerns. He has no intention of loaning these funds to the bank. Will these funds still be treated as a loan to the bank if he has no intention of loaning it to the bank at the time of depositing?

Q: Whilst dealing with financial institutions (mainly banks), often we are invited to attend functions hosted by these institutions. Are we allowed to eat and drink the food that is served to us (the food is 100% halaal certified)? My question is not relating to the source of the food but the source of the money that paid for the function.

Q: What is the ruling on Optional Health cover through work for both myself and family? The provider is Bupa. I would be paying a fixed cost a month around £100 a month to cover my family or £50 to cover myself only that. Please could you clarify if the above would be permissible?

Q: Can you explain to me the reason why Ulamaa so severely condemn the earnings of banks? In today’s times, the majority of the wealth in banks is acquired through the deposits of people which are from halaal. Hence, if one leases out his property to a bank, the income should be halaal based on the principle that if 50% or more of one’s income is halaal and such a person has to give you a gift, you can accept it.

Q: With some bank accounts e.g. FNB platinum, access is gained to "slow" lounges in airports, where meals and rest etc can be taken. Is it permissible to use these lounges?

Q: I have read the fatwa regarding ebucks and I am interested in finding out about Diners card. Many of our Muslim brothers have a Diners card. It is like a credit card, which they pay a yearly fee for, and the benefits are that one can use Diners club lounges in airports throughout the world. In these lounges meals etc are available as well as lounge /resting facilities etc

Q: Can we buy home loan to avoid income tax? Income tax is also indirect interest. Instead of paying it to the Government can we pay to bank as interest? or do we have an alternative to avoid it which benefits us?

Q: I conducted an online customer satisfaction survey, as incentive all those that completed the survey will be entered into a cash prize draw. Seven
respondents will win R1000.00 each. I lost the data containing the contact details of all those that completed the survey. I never even have the draw as yet. How Do I resolve this, this is my fault because I delayed in administering this payout and now I lost the data. We are trying to recover the lost data but things are not looking very positive.