I say, and with God's success: It is permissible to take a deposit at the beginning when concluding the contract, but the dispute is about whether it is permissible to take the deposit if the contract is not completed. There is disagreement on this, and the majority of schools of thought hold that it is not permissible to take it, and this is acted upon, except in cases of necessity, which is derived from the Hanbali school that permits taking it. And God knows best.