What Do The Muslim Scholars Say Regarding The Permissibility of Insurance In Islam?

'Is insurance permissible in Islam?' Many people have this question in their minds, and they often neglect the benefits of insurance because of their doubts and misunderstandings.

It's worth mentioning that all insurance companies don't indulge in 'gambling' and riba, especially, in the Muslim countries, as most insurance companies in Pakistan offer takaful plans, besides their conventional insurance policies. Albeit, all conventional covers aren't haram, 'if they are in accordance to the Islamic laws.' 

However, it is important to note that all insurance companies don't abide by the Shariah principles. Some conventional insurance companies may still involve riba and gambling in their operations. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct thorough research and investigation before choosing an insurance provider to ensure that their practices align with your morals and religious beliefs.

Here, I'm sharing quotes and sayings of famous Islamic scholars. 

"The principles of takaful (Islamic insurance) are based on the concepts of mutual aid and cooperation, and are therefore in line with the principles of Shariah," a quote from Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel

"The principle of indemnity is in accordance with Islamic law, which allows for the payment of damages suffered by an individual as a result of an accident or loss," Sheikh Nizam in Yaquby's opinion. 

"The principles of cooperation and mutual assistance that underpin takaful (Islamic insurance) are in accordance with the teachings of Islam," said Sheikh Taqi Usmani, he also said, "Insurance is not permissible if it involves elements of riba (interest), qimar (gambling), and gharar (uncertainty)."

In words of Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq, "Insurance is a form of mutual cooperation, and cooperation is a fundamental principle of Islam." Regarding takaful, he said, "The concept of takaful provides an Islamic alternative to conventional insurance, and is based on the principles of mutual aid and cooperation. It is permissible in Islam as long as it is conducted in a manner that is free of any elements of riba, gharar, and maysir."

According to Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, "Insurance is permissible in Islam as long as it is free from gambling, uncertainty and interest." 

Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah also holds the similar view:

"There is no harm in insuring oneself against potential harm or loss, as long as the insurance contract is free from any element of interest, gambling or ambiguity." 

For further insights into this topic, read, '

• 'Is Insurance Unislamic' by S. A. Mahmud, published by Daily Dawn, Karachi, dated 6th January, 1952
• Permissibility Of Life Insurance
• An Islamic View on Health Insurance

Let me know me if you want to read more on this topic.

Being a certified insurance agent, I sell policies of different insurance companies in Pakistan, both conventional and takaful. You can contact me to discuss the plans that suit your needs and budget.

_________

And verily, Allah knows the best!

وَاللّٰہ اَعلَم بِالصَّواب

Cacophony of Words: Finding Meaning in a Digital World

The keys underneath my fingertips,

Letters dancing, creating a jumbled mix.

And I looking at them, with my eyes fix!

Repetitive strokes on my touch screen,

A cacophony of words, it may seem.

"Stop doing it," a voice cries out,

A plea for silence, with a shout.

"Have some shame!" (a reminder) 

"It doesn't matter," we say with ease, while wishing our worries will cease.

The letters swirl, a wild array,

A puzzle that's hard to decode,

And yet we say, “it's alright!”

As we navigate through this digital trial.

And though the words may seem obscure,

They still meaning something, for sure.

This is how we find our way,

To express ourselves, day by day.

by Samia Adnan

9 Transcription Tools To Make Your Life Easy

I am Samia Adnan - an AI aficionado. Being a technology news writer and tech blogger since 2010, I am obsessed with everything digital and have been discussing about mobile apps, online tools and latest softwares on different platforms, since more than two decades. 

Last evening my uncle was talking about his plan to convert speeches and audio anecdotes of our grandfather into text for compiling them in a book, which can benefit people. So I suggested him some time savvy tools to make the task easy. 

Later that night, before going to sleep, I thought to write about some tools that are light on pocket and saves time. 

Why Transcribe? 

We all need transcription, whether we want to write interviews, speeches or business meeting points or classroom notes. Previously, it was a time consuming errand to record, listen and transcribe manually. Many people still spend a significant amount of money on transcribers and composers. But now, in this digital era, we have cutting edge technology for transcribing audio and video files into text with ease and accuracy. 

What Do AI Offer? 

AI tools can capture everything with their AI nodes, from meetings to lectures, to podcasts to family discussions. Most of these AI-powered transcription tools are free to use, and offer features like editing and speaker identification. 

Transcription Tools for Amazing Results

If you're looking for transcription tools, but are not sure which to use, then here is a little list, followed by a brief description, to help you make a better choice. 

• Google Cloud Speech-to-Text 
• Amazon Transcribe
• IBM Speech-to-Text
• Otter.ai
• Sonix.ai
• Descript
• Temi
• Speechmatics
• Transcribe

Let's talk about these briefly! 

Google Cloud Speech-to-Text

Google Cloud Speech-to-Text is a cloud-based speech recognition service that converts spoken words into text. It's machine learning algorithms transcribe speech from various sources, including live and recorded audio, phone calls, and video conferences. It recognizes over 120 languages and dialects, thus, making it a versatile solution for businesses, developers, students and individuals alike.

Amazon Transcribe

Amazon Transcribe is a cloud-based speech recognition (ASR) service which converts speech to text in real-time. It transcribes audio and video recordings, live streams and phone calls in multiple languages. It supports custom vocabularies, enabling users to add jargons to improve accuracy.

IBM Speech-to-Text

IBM Speech-to-Text is a cloud-based speech recognition service that uses deep learning models to transcribe spoken words into text. It supports multiple languages and can transcribe audio from various sources, including live and recorded audio, phone calls, and video conferences. It is worth adding here that IBM's Speech-to-Text also recognizes and transcribes multiple speakers in a conversation.

Otter.ai

This is an AI-powered transcription service that uses machine learning algorithms to transcribe audio and video recordings. It features real-time transcription, speaker identification, and the ability to share transcripts with collaborators. Otter.ai also supports multiple languages and integrates with popular productivity tools, such as; Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams. 

Sonix.ai

This cloud-based speech recognition service can transcribe audio and video files into text, while supporting multiple languages and offers editing tools for better transcription.

Descript

Descript, a transcription and audio editing software uses AI to transcribe audio and video files into text and also provides editing tools for removing filler words and other unwanted sounds for enhance quality.

Temi 

This tool transcribes audio and video files into text and offers multiple language options along with editing tools for accurate transcription. 

Speechmatics

If you are looking for a tool that offers customization options according to specific industries and use cases then try Speechmatics which has all it needs for audio to text transcription. 

Transcribe

Transcribe is an AI-powered transcription service that can convert audio and video files into text. It supports multiple language options and provides editing tools for quality enhancement.

I only listed nine popular transcription tools, however, you can find many other tools that might suit your needs. Let me know which tools you usually use. 

If you need assistance with transcription and proofreading, then feel free to contact me:

• Twitter @Samiawriter
• Instagram @Samiawrites 
• Discord Saa#1297

10 Video Editing Android Applications

Video is is an effective medium of expression as it involves two senses (sight and hearing), and grabs attention better than a written content or a picture, as Ankala Subbarao said:

"A picture is worth a thousand words.......and a video is worth a million pictures....." 

Almost every digital media supports video sharing functionality. People and businesses are gaining popularity among the masses through their video content. 

Be it for business purposes, product promotion, digital marketing, displaying talent, sharing lifetime experiences, entertainment or teaching, almost everyone makes videos, as they rightly say, "seeing is believing!" 

If you want to make impressive videos for your family, friends, social media followers, customers or even a boss, then search no more. Here, is a list of ten useful video editing applications for Android devices:

• Adobe Premier Pro
• Alight Motion 
• Beecut
• CapCut 
• Kinemaster
• Quik
• VN Video Editor 
• Vllo
• Vlogit
• YouCut

So what are you waiting for? Make and edit your videos the way you want and upload them on your social media or video channels. 

Written by Samia Adnan