Business and Dealings

Returning an Item

Q: I purchased an item from a certain Muslim business man. I no longer require the item. I produced my slip as required. I was refused a refund but was told to take something from the store to the value of the money spent. The fact is I don't require anything from that store.

Painting the premises before leaving

Q: I used to work for an organization. The organization used to house all employees in flats or apartments. The rent as well as the levy, water and light bills used to be paid by them. It is stated in the lease contract of the apartment that upon leaving, the tenant should get the place painted. The organization did not mention to me, when I moved in, that I will have to bear the cost of the painting. To me, it was understood that the organization will bear the cost of painting the apartment as they used to bear all other costs. Is the cost of painting my responsibility or the responsibility of the organization?

Purchasing from Hindus

Q: I live in India and here Hindus have very different traditions like in front of the shops they smash some kind of fruits and lemons and coconuts and keep them at the corners of the entrance. So my question is am I allowed to go inside that shop and am I allowed to buy food products from that shop and I have also seen that shop has pictures of their idols and they do pooja over there. So sometimes used to eat from that shop. Was that haram and najis?

Paying interest due to late payment

Q: My question is regarding my university tution. I have paid the first semester fee which was 4000 euros, and events occurred just before the second semester began which led me to consider my place at the university institute I was in. I therefore spent the first few weeks of the second semester pondering over what to do next, before eventually deciding on staying. During that time, the deadline for second semester payments had passed and the university began charging late fees, and I was aware that this would be the case before the deadline; however I wasn't aware until after the deadline had passed that the charging of late fees was equivalent of riba. I will try and speak with someone at the university to Insha Allah reduce the fees to a normal price, but if  after speaking with an individual at the university and being refused my request, I paid the late fee, would I be sinful for doing so?

Charging an extra fee for late payment

Q: I go to university and the university have said that the fees for the second semester will be 4000 euros, and they announced a deadline by which the money had to be paid by, and they said that anyone wishing to pay the money after this period of time would have to pay 4000 euros and a small percentage of the original fee on top, and the extra fee that will be paid will increase every day after the deadline day. So for example, if I paid three days over the deadline the university would charge me 4003 euros and if I paid 7 days I would be charged 4007 euros and 8 days would be 4008 euros etc. If i was to pay after their deadline, would this considered to be riba, despite the fact that I am not borrowing money from a bank to pay the fee?