Can I take a loan that gives a choice between paying the principal within a defined period or the payment of an increment after the period?

Q: Can I take a loan that gives a choice between paying the principal within a defined period or the payment of an increment after the period? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: In principle, any loan that gives a choice between paying just the principal within a defined period or the payment […]

Read more...

Is it permitted to claim unemployment benefits if one is readily able to find work but prefers to stay at home instead?

Q: Is it permitted to claim unemployment benefits if one is readily able to find work but prefers to stay at home instead? الجواب حامدًا و مصليًا و منه الصدق و الصواب A: There are two main unemployment benefits: · Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) · Income Support (IS). JSA can only be rightfully claimed by […]

Read more...

Why does one need to pay Zakat on a pension plan if one does not get access till later?

 Q:  I have recently setup a SI pension plan account where I can manage the investment but the principal and the gains are not available to me till the age of 55. Is the investment value still zakatable in the years leading up to age 55?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب   A: […]

Read more...

Are you allowed to give money to pay off someone’s debt while knowing that part of that is likely to go towards paying off interest?

Q: Are you allowed to give money to pay off someone’s debt while knowing that part of that is likely to go towards paying off of interest? The recipient of the financial help is a non-Muslim.   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: In principle, if you gift or lend someone some money that […]

Read more...

Should I quit my job if they sell unlawful items or is it sufficient for me to give away the percentage earned from unlawful items?

Q: Should I quit my job if they sell unlawful items or is it sufficient for me to give away the percentage earned from unlawful items? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: It is not permissible for you to sell unlawful items and any remuneration earned from such sale is also unlawful. Even […]

Read more...

What constitutes aiding in sin when working for a software house, as a service provider, as a software engineer, software developer, web designer or web developer?

Q: What constitutes aiding in sin when working for a software house, as a service provider, as a software engineer, software developer, web designer or web developer? What should one look out for to understand when one is aiding in sin when working for a software house, as a service provider, as a software engineer, […]

Read more...

Can I perform my prayers during the time in which clients have paid for my services?

Q: Can I perform my prayers during the time in which clients have paid for my services? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Whilst you are required to perform your obligatory prayers within the correct time and it is very understanding of your employer to allow you to do so, you cannot charge […]

Read more...

How can I finance a new business without getting a loan?

Q: How can I finance a new business without getting a loan? My aim is to open a business but for the capital I would need to go to the bank, which they have agreed to lend. But on the other hand I feel this is forbidden as it involves interest. This is my only […]

Read more...

If a Muslim is working as a cab driver, can they charge a customer who wants to go to a pub or nightclub?

Q: If a Muslim is working as a cab driver, can they charge a customer who wants to go to a pub or nightclub? الجواب حامدًا و مصليًا و منه الصدق و الصواب A: The basic principle in this type of issue is that according to Imām Abū Yūsuf and Imām Muḥammad if an individual […]

Read more...

Are Muslims permitted to eat food bought from haram income (such as money falsely claimed in government benefits)?

Q: Are Muslims permitted to eat food bought from ḥarām income (such as money falsely claimed in government benefits)? الجواب حامدًا و مصليًا و منه الصدق و الصواب A: If one receives state benefits fraudulently the amount of excess benefit so received without entitlement must be returned to the state. If the excess benefit is […]

Read more...

Is it permissible to work in the tax department of the HMRC which is likely to have some involvement in interest based transactions?

Q: Is it permissible to work in the tax department of the HMRC which is likely to have some involvement in interest based transactions? I enquired from HMRC whether or not throughout the role there is any interest related transactions such as charging or taking interest, I got the following reply “In respect of charging interest […]

Read more...