Business and Dealings

Q: We have two tenants in our attic and they both use the same kitchen as us to cook their pork. What would be the ideal thing for us to do?

Q: I have recently been offered and accepted employment at a firm of auditors. Only now has it come to my attention that the partners of the firm are all Jewish. There are others working there who are of other religions. The firm is part of an international firm that isn't Jewish. Working here would it be allowed and permissible?

Q: My question is one night I prepared little macaroni. I ate from it and then I kept a little for my brother to eat in the morning because by that time my brother was asleep and he didn't know that I made macaroni, but the other day I had to fast so when I woke up for sehri I ate that very macaroni which I kept for my brother. Am I sinning this way? Will it become his haq after I decide to give him? will I have to ask maafi for not giving him? I am afraid whether I have eaten the haq of my brother.

Q: Is it permissible to buy vehicles which are repossessed by the bank from bank auctions?

Q: I live in America, and it is impossible to buy a house here without a mortgage from the bank. The bank charges interest on the mortgage. Is it permissible to buy a house on mortgage?

Q: I would like to know if a Muslim person can become a private investigator?

Q: Please assist help me understand the concept of helping someone to set up a business.

Scenario A:

Person A helps person B by lending the person R 10 000 for a business. Person A wants R 15 000 after 3 years (R 10 000 as capital and R 5 000 as profit). This is purely money lent to another person. Is this ribah?

Scenario B:

Person A buys a business for R 10 000 person B and then Person B pays off the R 10 000 (capital) + R 5000 (Profit) over 3 years. A business is bought and sold back to Person A. Is this Halaal?

Q: I would like to know that my child needs to go college next year but I would not be able to put up with all the cost because I have other children which go to private Islamic school. So I need to pay for their fees so is it allowed to get a student loan for the college child?

Q: Recently a customer came to our shop. In the customer comments book he wrote that we should close our shop during Jumuah time as mentioned in the Qur'an as Allah will give us barakah if we close our shop. Is this correct? Is it permissible to trade Jumuah time?

PS: No Muslim staff are at the shop during Jumuah time. They all go to perform their salaah.

Q: I have applied for a job at a company that installs industrial refrigeration systems (cold rooms, cooling for warehouses, etc.). My job would entail designing the system as well as overseeing the installation and repairs on site. I have found out that the clients include breweries as well as companies that would stock haraam meat products (certain fast food franchises and supermarkets). Based on the above please could Mufti Saab advise as follows: 1. Will it be permissible for me to take on such employment, or will it fall under the category of assisting in sin? 2. If the answer to the above is 'impermissible', will the ruling change if I am granted exclusion from working on the cold room that would store alcohol and other haraam products? 3. Any other info that Mufti Saab would feel relevant, as I would not always know what the cold room would be used for. Jazakallah for your time and effort, and please do remember us in your duas.