Business and Dealings

Taking a gift from someone who's wealth is doubtful

Q: A friend of ours is unemployed and dependent financially on the government but is actively looking for work. He has a mother who repeatedly tells him that she will buy him a house, which gives him hope because he can live on the rental yields and not be in fear of eviction while he continues to search for a job. He will also be in a better position to transfer his mother's house to his name so as to avoid inheritance tax. The problem is that her wealth is very dubious and most likely gained in a haram way. For some time now she has been receiving benefits from the government but recently she has also been renting out rooms in her house. How she amassed her wealth is another story and cannot be explained by the benefits she receives but from what things she did (and probably still does) like take interest from the banks, working in betting  establishments, and committing refund fraud. My questions are:

  1. Can he receive a gift from his mother?
  2. Can he inherit from her?

Refusing a gift

Q: Is this also considered as refusing a gift? When a person informs the person in advance who wants to give a gift that please don't bring any gift we will not receive it?

Voting

Q: I am from Inda, Kashmir. Some people says that casting votes is haram (Forbiddan) as the constitution is not Islamic. I request you please guide me the islamic ruling on casting votes in a Unislamic country?

Meezan Bank

Q: I want to know that meezan bank saving account is good or not. All the details are included below.

Meezan Bachat Account is a unique saving account that provides high expected monthly returns with the flexibility to withdraw savings if needed. Meezan Bachat Account offers a higher expected rate of return with nearly the same convenience and service of a regular savings account.

Meezan Bachat Account can be opened by Salaried or Self-employed, Housewives and Retired individuals.

On agreeing to become a Meezan Bachat Account holder, the customer enters into a relationship based on Mudarabah with Meezan Bank. Under this relationship, the customer is an Investor (Rab-ul-Maal) and the Bank is the Manager (Mudarib) of the funds deposited by the customers. The Bank allocates the funds received from the customers to a deposit pool; funds from the pool are utilized to provide financing to customers under Islamic modes that include, but are not restricted to Murabaha, Ijarah, Istisna and Diminishing Musharkah.

Minimum investment required to open an account is Rs. 50,000/-

Maximum balance limit (threshold) for getting a higher profit weightage is Rs. 25,000,000/-

Free issuance of Cheque Book

Free issuance of Pay Order

Free Online Banking service at all Meezan Bank branches

Free Internet Banking facility

Profit will be calculated on the Daily Product Basis

A lower weightage will be applicable for profit calculation if the daily

Closing balance of the account exceeds a specified threshold (currently Rs. 25,000,000/-)

Profit payment is made to your Meezan Bank account on a monthly basis.

Provident Fund

Q: My question is related to provident fund. I have resigned from my current job and inshaallah would be joining another company within short time. Till the time I resign I had no control on my provident fund money (as usual employer was deducting a portion of salary as PF) now due to resignation I have 2 options for the amount of money which is there in my PF account.

  1. I can transfer my PF money to new account which will be maintained by my new company. This will give the benefit of compounded interest earned and going further if I complete certain years I will be getting additional pension benefits and tax savings.
  2. I can withdraw the currently accumulated PF money and use it, through the new company I have to open new account starting with zero balance. Later as part of salary PF portion will be put in by company.

I have read that interest earned on PF is gift as employee does not have control (ikhtiyar) on the money deducted by employer, in above mentioned
options I feel that option-1 is like Voluntary PF as (due to resignation I have control or choice it to withdraw ) but considering the compounded
interest and other benefits im willingly putting my money to new employers new PF account and according to FIQH voluntary PF is not allowed.

Please guide me in the light of Quran and Sunnah to which of the option to choose from and whether transferring the PF money (option-1) will be haraam as it includes interest earning by choice.

Elections and voting

Q: With regards to voting and elections, I would like to ask the following question:

Country X is a non-islamic state with a minority number of muslims that is run by a political party, we can call this political party Y for example,
which allows full freedom to Muslims to practice their religion freely and without any restrictions. Political party Z is an upcoming political party
which is run by Yahoodis and is gaining great dominance in the state. It is well known with regards to the Yahoodis that they are not to be trusted due to their cunning nature and persecution of Muslims around the world, and if they take control of the state, the possibility exists that muslims will now become restricted in practicing Islam. Bearing this in mind, will it be permissible for Muslims to vote in the elections for the party that proves to be a greater benefit for the muslims, or do we just ignore the entire elections and do not involve ourselves in such issues?