Business and Dealings

Q: Muslim women are permitted to go to work by their husbands when there appears not to be a dire need. In fact, this has become such a norm that it is not even recognized as a sin. Would you be kind enough to provide proofs and an explanation as to why in Shari'ah it is not permissible in Shari'ah for a woman to leave the home to work so that I may explain to mahram females in my house about the gravity of this sin. Please also explain under what extreme circumstances may a woman leave the home to work and what conditions must she adhere to?

Q: I sometimes need to buy something but don’t have the cash on me. Can I buy the goods on credit? If yes, are there any conditions to adhere to?

Q: I am working in a private company. Company has provided me a company maintained car for official and personal use. Allowed limit of fuel is 150 liters per month. Due to short traveling, I did not use the allowed quantity of fuel. Kindly guide me in the light of Islamic principles. May I use the extra fuel for my personal vehicle?

Q: Please advise if the sale of the following is permissible and the income halaal:

1. Recipe books that contain some recipes with haraam items listed as ingredients, like pork or wine.

2. Medical books that contain some haraam treatments/methods. For example, in addition to all permissible things, a book with a chapter on yoga.

3. Books on topics like "Productivity","Leadership Skills", "Having a better life", "How to raise children" etc. written by kuffar and with their ideologies.

4. Sporting equipment like cricket bats, soccer-balls, surfboards, table-tennis tables, dart boards etc.

5. Items with the flag of a non-Muslim country on it. For example, a cell phone cover, a key ring, a sandal etc.

6. Purely futile and useless items, like decorative vases, expensive ornaments, doilies etc.

7. A person points out that many Deobandi Masaajid have TV's installed for Salaah times and notices. He says that when such high ranking 'Ulama have allowed TV's to be put up in the Masjid, and we do not see any other Ulama objecting to it (and also Ulama continue giving bayaans and having programs at such Masaajid) then it is therefore permissible for one to sell TV's. He adds that if Masjid funds can be used to buy a TV to put up in a Masjid, then why can't he sell TV's as the dual purpose of the TV is now clear with its incorporation in even the Masjid. Is this correct?

Q: My items are advertised online and then shipped to customers. I do not have a physical store. I therefore communicate with customers, potential customers, suppliers, distributors and so forth via correspondence. These are often woman, almost always non-Muslim, from all different countries. I am a male. Regarding communicating with woman for business purposes:

1. Is it permissible to use formal business formalities/etiquette in email? For example, to say: "Good morning", "Hope you are well", "I look forward to your response", "It is a pleasure doing business with you", "All the best", "Kind regards" and so forth.

2. Is it permissible to communicate with them via the more 'informal methods' like SMS / WhatsApp / BBM / Facebook Chat / Twitter Direct Messaging etc.? I am mostly contacted via these methods initially.

3. If Question 2 is permissible: Can one use more informal terms like "Hi", "Hello","Thanks" and so forth when communicating over those mediums mentioned in Question 2?

4. Is it permissible to phone them and speak over the phone when necessary? In all the instances above, everything will be kept to the point of need and related to the business.

Q: If a person is working as a collector for one of the darul ulooms to collect zakaat, sadqaat lillaah for the darul uloom, is it permissible or is it haraam to work as a collector for a darul uloom and the money which he earns through this job from the darul uloom will be halaal or is it haraam?

Q: Is it permissible to work as a checkout/till operator in a big supermarket? Is my income Halaal? I have to handle Alchohol/Pork/Haraam Chicken and Beef to scan these items. I hold the very tips of the meat products so that I touch the least amount as possible. I have tried my best, my very very very best to look for alternative work but I just cannot find anything else. I ask Allaah to forgive me if I am doing wrong but this is the only success thatI have had job wise.

Q: If a person pays for a flight overseas with his credit card, the bank provides free travel insurance. Will it be permissible to use a credit card (which he keeps in positive balance so as not to get involved in credit but to get a good credit record) to purchase his flight tickets with the card with the intention of getting the insurance? If not paying with the credit card he would have to use cash or a debit card anyway.

Q: I am a final year degree student from India. Recently in college campus I got a job in XL Dynamics as a financial analyst. Is the job haraam or halaal?

Q: I have a supermarket and I am a retailer of basic food and groceries. I would like to know if it is permissible for me to sell any pet food (dogs and cats) as none of the variants (tin or dry) are halaal certified. Also as a pet owner, is it permissible for me to store and feed my pets these meals (dry or in a can)?