Commission on Currency Exchange and Communication Cards

The questioner:
And he said, "My brother, the Shaykh, I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is a fee for the campaign to buy pounds in riyals."

The Shaykh:
It appears that now, regarding the telephone, a new trick has appeared for them, which is this card. They give you a booklet containing papers; you speak using these papers until they run out. This is good if it is used, as it saves people from this paper. Yes, a booklet containing a number of papers; each time you insert the paper, you speak until this booklet with you runs out, then you go buy another one from the institution.

Another questioner:
Yes.

The Shaykh:
No, it is not permissible to take a commission. This is the ruling on currency exchange. However, if you want to exchange currency, you buy it from here and transfer it. If he takes a commission on it, it is as if he did not pay you the equivalent; he did not exchange it for you. Note, if you bring him the money and say to him, "Exchange it," it is permissible for him to take a commission on it because he did not leave it [unexchanged]. But if you say to him, "These are Saudi riyals, I want to exchange them for dollars in America," this is currency exchange, which is not permissible. It is necessary that the exchange takes place in the same session. Yes. That is, you hand over the riyals here, and the dollars are not handed over except in another country. This is riba (usury or interest), specifically riba al-nasi'ah (usury of deferment), which is not permissible.

Another questioner:
I mean, this is what we are returning to now; people say we are returning.

The Shaykh:
Yes, they must take the alternative currency that they bought from here and transfer it, which does not violate the ruling. And if he takes a commission on it, it does not violate the ruling, because he took a fee for carrying it. But for him to take riyals from you and give you dollars in another country and take a commission, this is not permissible. This is riba.