Business and Dealings

Investing borrowed money

Q: My mother lent me R 15 000 which I was able to pay back. I invested the R15 000 on her behalf. I invested more as a gift but now had to use some of that money but the loan amount is still safe. Can I use the extra money without having to pay it back as we never agree to more that just the R 15000?

Using the word "Magic" in a business name

Q: Kindly advise if it is acceptable to use the word magic in the name of a business. Magic in Islam is haraam but the purpose for the the word magic in the business is not evil by intention. We sell gadgets and gifts so only to suggest that what we have for sale is not ordinary. We do not sell any magic products etc. Also advise if having the numbers 666 in a cell phone number is considered wrong?

Renting out computers

Q: A client of mine would like to find out if they could possibly rent out Computers e.g If the computer costs R1000.00 they will be renting it out at R100.00 per month over 36 months. Is this permissible in Islam?

The ruling pertaining to things which are halaal and haraam

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

(1) Secular textbooks on topics like engineering, mathematics, architecture, business, pharmacy, fitness etc. that contain animate images. Sometimes the satr of men and women may be exposed in these images. I do not have the ability to note the nature of every image in these textbooks.

(2) General 'Non-Muslim' clothing, like jeans, T-shirts, skirts, shorts, swim wear, colourful male clothing, high heel shoes, general tight-fitting clothing etc. If some of these items are to be worn as non-Muslims generally do, then the satr will naturally be exposed.

(3) Clothing that has animate images.

(4) Clothing with large textual inscriptions and logos.

(5) Male and female underwear. Not lingerie. (6) Rings and jewellery that are impermissible to wear (like imitation rings).

(7) General permissible items that have animate images on them. For example, some cell phone cases, branded stationery items, children hand watches.

(8) Teddy bears, toys with animate images, figurines etc.

(9) To sell medicine containing (intoxicating) alcohol when suitable alternatives exist.

I currently own the following and want to know if they can be sold, or whether they should be destroyed:

(10) Comic books that consist almost entirely of animate images. The satr of the comic characters are sometimes exposed.

(11) A PlayStation 2 video game console. It has multiple uses and not just for playing haraam video games.

[I do not know if my customers are Muslim or Non-Muslim.]

Debts and financial problems

Q: My husband and I are in a financial problems and with the result contacted companies that we deal with to pay them off slowly. The white companies seem to agree but unfortunately our Muslim so called "Friends " are the ones that went ahead with legal procedures with nothing to lose. What if I decide to round up the existing stock I have, sell out and cash up to help me live for the next few months. How will I pay them back?

Online shopping

Q: What is the ruling on buying products online where one only sees the picture of the product? Also will it be permissible to sell one's products online through a website or Gumtree and OLX classifieds and what conditions will one have to adhere to to make the sale permissible?

Selling a car that has been financed by the bank

Q: I bought a car in India by bank finance 8 month ago. Now I realised that it is haram and I have no money to pay off the loan at once and now I want to sell the car but the bank does not allow me to sell the car (because the owner is still the bank) until I pay off the loan. But (secretly) if I sell the car under the condition that when I pay off the loan I will transfer the registration to the customer in writing and now the customer has to give the instalments monthly to me for the next 6 years 4 month (but the bank take it automatically from my account from my salary because the bank does not know him). Then will I be relieved from interest (because the car is in my name and I am still involved in it).