What is the ruling on dealing with a company that leases a car, with the contract ending in ownership, whereby a down payment and monthly fees are required, and the car's price becomes higher than its original price, along with a promise of ownership after the completion of payments?

Purchasing a car in installments from a company is permissible as long as it is a sales contract and the car enters into the ownership of the buyer. It is permissible for the company to mortgage it until the installments are paid. As for the Ijara-Watanfee (lease-to-own) contract, it is permissible under certain conditions, including that the lease contract be a genuine one, whereby the warranty for the item and non-operational maintenance expenses are borne by the lessor (the company). It is permissible for it to be coupled with a separate gift contract for the item, contingent upon the full payment of the rent. However, if the company stipulates that the warranty or maintenance is the responsibility of the lessee, then the contract is invalid. It is advisable to purchase the car through direct installment payments or via Murabaha (cost-plus financing) to avoid the ambiguities associated with Ijara-Watanfee.