What is the ruling on a mother placing a red dot on her forehead to appease the strict Hindu grandmother of her children, given that the children need the grandmother's financial support to cover their study expenses, and knowing that the grandmother refuses to help unless the mother places the dot, and is it permissible to take an interest-based loan in this situation due to the lack of another option?

First: One of Allah’s greatest blessings upon you is guiding you to faith. You must strive to guide your grandmother with gentleness and kindness, considering her age and her adherence to her religion.

Second: If the red dot is a sign of a religion other than Islam, then it is not permissible to wear it in imitation of disbelievers. However, if it is a common adornment with no religious connotation, then there is no harm in wearing it, with the possibility of concealing it. The most important thing is to manage your relationship with your grandmother without falling into an explicit religious transgression, and to strive to find a suitable job that will help and enrich you.