Does ill-gotten money hinder the answering of the Du`a (supplication) and the means of subsistence?
Sins hinder the answering of the Du`a, and deprive the sinner from means of subsistence; whereas, acts of obedience facilitate making a living. Allah, The Almighty, Says (What means) : "And for those who fear God, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine." [At-Talaq/2-3].
I took a car from the Orphans' Fund Development Institution; is there usury (Riba) involved in this transaction?
If the Sharia's conditions were met, then there is no harm in this. And Allah The Exalted Knows Best.
Is it permissible for me to eat from the animal that I slaughtered for Allah to protect my family?
It is permissible to eat from the non-vowed animal sacrifice, and the person is rewarded based on the amount of meat that he had given to the poor. However, there is no evidence in Islamic Sharia indicating that slaughtering an animal protects one`s family, but it is a way for thanking Allah, The Almighty, for his grace.
Is it permissible to pay the Zakah (obligatory charity) for settling the debt of a deceased relative?
It is impermissible to pay the Zakah for settling the debt of the deceased since Zakah is paid to eligible recipients who are alive. As for the debts of the deceased, they are to be settled from the estate before dividing it amongst the heirs, but if the deceased didn`t leave an estate, then it is desirable for his/her heirs to settle those debts if they can afford them. And Allah Knows Best.
