Business and Dealings

Q: Recently, I bought something from a charity shop.  At the counter, the lady asked if I would like to be entered into a prize draw, for which the prize would be £4000. But to be entered for this one would have to give them £1. I agreed, as she told me that the £1 would go towards their charity. It was due to a nerve-racking morning that I was slow in realizing I had engaged in a kind of gambling, but the transaction had been completed and it was too late! What do I need to do now that this has been done? What should I do with the money if I win? (I doubt it, but just in case). Should I refuse to accept it and tell them I don't want it? Or if it is forced on me and I have to take it, should I give it away to an Islamic charity? With regards to the initial giving of £1 to enter the prize draw, I keep thinking that any salary I receive from work will remain unlawful until I take the same amount from my salary and donate this to (Islamic) charity to address any unevenness. Is this correct?

Q: A approached B to finance the purchase of a house which he did not see for 1.25 million rands and A agreed to buy the house from him at a higher price. He also borrowed 150 000 for transfer costs and renovations and this amount was included in the repayment of the house. The repayment price was worked out according to bank interest rates of 12% per annum with a total amount agreed upon. It was also agreed that should the payment be made before the 7 year agreed period then the total repayment will be less than the agreed amount, it will work out pro rata.

1.What is the shar'i status of this transaction.

2.What should be done to correct it.

3. Payment have already been received for 1 and half years, how should that be rectified.

Q: Offering or accepting bribe is indeed forbidden in Islam. However there are times when one is really helpless and cannot gain one's right or avoid being subject to to injustice except through bribery. This question is on behalf of my friend. "I am running an export oriented industry for which water is most essential. My water flow meter's visibility has become quite dull for which I approached the concerned authorities to allow permission to me for purchase of new meter as I fear that the current meter reading is also not clearly visible. I have been asked to send this meter for testing which I have done but the officials demand bribe for giving the permission to me to purchase new water flow meter which is my right. Delays will put me to great losses in my business. My question is that under the above circumstances if I fulfil their unjust demands would I be committing the major sin and face Allah's Wrath?"

Q: Am I allowed to keep the soap, etc that I have taken from the hotel room in which I was staying. If no and it's not possible for me to return the item. What do I do?

Q: I have formed a company of programmers and developers to develop mobile games and applications. There are three sources of revenue:

1. Sell the game.

2. Make it free and gain revenue from advertisements in the applications and games.

3. Keep it partly free and partly under sale (in app purchases).

I have ensured that my apps and games will not contain anything vulgar or shameless. However, they will contain music. Is this permissible?

Q: My apartment complex offers an incentive to pay rent one week earlier than the due date. The apartment complex holds a raffle with the names of all the people who pay their rent early and the winner of the raffle gets $400 in cash. Last month, I paid my rent early and my name was drawn in the raffle, so they gave me $400. Is this money halaal for me to use?

Q: A took an item of B. A lost B's item and A wants to pay for the item. Can B make a profit when taking the money for the item? If yes then does A have to know about it.

Q: Two shareholders in a company came to an agreement to buy each other’s share in the company at the death of either one of the shareholders at an agreed price. This is to ensure the future of the company and also to guarantee a purchase price and a buyer for the shares. Funding of the purchase is by means of life assurance by the shareholders on each other’s lives. Both shareholders are Muslim and their wills are Shariah compliant. Is the buy and sell agreement between the two shareholders acceptable within the Shariah principles?

Q: May a Muslim become a US marine?

Q: There is a custom in some communities, that is; when we give some prepared food to our neighbor or somebody they always give back something which they prepared, in the same plate in return. The problem is, when nothing is found in their home they refuse to return our plate empty and say that, "I will give later"because of custom. Is this an act of sunnah to give back something as hadya in the same plate when one receives hadya from a neighbor or someone else?