Valid & Invalid transactions

Buying a bag of goods without knowing its contents

Q: There is a app called Refreshi, this is how it works, you pay a certain amount and get a bag of food/dessert etc... but you don't know exactly what. This is how it is written. 

"Enjoy a tasty mix of baked goods. R68 You could receive, donuts, croissants, danishes, and/or pastries. Every bag is a surprise and delight to your tastebuds." 

Is this permissible?

Selling items on online stores with different payment options

Q: On Amazon and other online stores, there's a type of installment payment that involves interest. The buyer takes out a loan from the bank to pay for the product in installments, and the store pays the seller upfront without any interest. The buyer pays the installment to the store, and the store pays the seller the full price of the product immediately. 

It's not possible to disable this payment option on these stores. 

Would it be legal to sell on these online stores?

Dropshipping

Q: Is this form of dropshipping allowed: 

I advertise the product of a supplier with a 20% increase in price on my store. All products on my store have the same percentage increase from the wholesale price. I consider the 20% as the commission I receive. This has not been communicated with the suppliers, as there are many suppliers whose products are being advertised on my store. 

When a customer places an order, the product is shipped directly to them. The customer pays shipping fee. They are informed that I purchase the product on their behalf and take a commission, but may not know who exactly the supplier is, or how much commission is taken (they just see total price after commission added).

Being charged 'Processing fees' when buying on installments

Q: I am seeking guidance regarding a matter related halaal and haraam. 

I live in the United Arab Emirates, and we are not very well off, we struggle at times to buy things apart from the necessities. 

There are two fintech companies TABBY AND TAMARA. 

Tabby was shariah compliant initially when they started, splitting each bill into 4 installments and so was tamara. Tamara is still 4 installments. But tabby has now introduced installments in 6 months, 8 months and also 12 months and when they started here, there was a fatwa on their website too, they don't say that it is interest, there's an extra amount that they charge which they call processing/service fee, I want to know is that interest? I have multiple payments spilt across because I did not know it and just realised it, also because initially there were fatwa on the tabby website. For tamara, there is also a fatwa and they have mentioned names of scholars who have given fatwas 

All of the shariah resolutions are attached on their website too, so I want to know if what they calling the 'Processing fee' is not interest and allowed for me to use as it is really helpful, and if it is not, then I have multiple payments spread across both companies and I am not in a position to pay it all off as we struggle big time financially. As someone striving to act in accordance with the teachings of Islam, I want to ensure that my actions are pleasing to Allah Ta'ala. 

Being forced to take out insurance when buying a car on installments

Q: There is car company and they are selling their cars in the following manner: 

I pay a certain amount of the total and they give me the car but they don't transfer the car to my name. Then, after I pay the 9 installments, the car will come into my name. In the meanwhile, they ask me to take an insurance policy for 9 months to cover me from all risks in case something happens to the car. Is this type of deal correct?

Buying a closed box whose contents are unknown

Q: I would like to know if buying a box with the contents being unknown permissible or not. Example there are 5 closed boxes you cannot open before buying but the estimated value is R100 each. It can be worth more, it can be less. If the estimated value is R100 and it's on an auction platform, the bid can land upto R800 example or can cost you R100. 

Is this permissible to buy? 

Please note that each box will have something and none will be empty but it can be something with very low value.