Ruling on exchanging gold and silver using automated exchange machines
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Your Eminence! These days, automated exchange machines provided by banks to their customers to facilitate cash withdrawals have become widespread. This service has also begun to spread in commercial establishments and gold shops. Is it permissible to purchase using this method?The Shaykh: What do you mean?The questioner: I mean: it appears that gold shops are engaged in barter, and there is no hand-to-hand exchange of cash for cash?The Shaykh: As for gold, taking possession is necessary, but I would like to know about this exchange?The questioner: The customer is given a card, inserts it into the machine, and requests cash. Note that the buyer does not pay in cash; rather, he inserts his card into the device and transfers the amount he paid for the purchase to the shop owner’s account, without there being any mutual exchange of possession?
This is not permissible in the case of purchasing gold and silver, because mutual exchange of possession is required for gold and silver. However, if the buyer takes the gold and silver and transfers the price via the computer, there is no mutual exchange of possession in this case, and therefore we do not see it as permissible.
As for anything other than gold and silver, there is nothing wrong with it, and it is a facilitation for the buyer.For example: A man enters and purchases goods for three thousand riyals, for example, and does not pay in cash, but rather transfers this amount to the shop owner’s balance via this device. This is a good thing and there is nothing wrong with it.
This is not permissible in the case of purchasing gold and silver, because mutual exchange of possession is required for gold and silver. However, if the buyer takes the gold and silver and transfers the price via the computer, there is no mutual exchange of possession in this case, and therefore we do not see it as permissible.
As for anything other than gold and silver, there is nothing wrong with it, and it is a facilitation for the buyer.For example: A man enters and purchases goods for three thousand riyals, for example, and does not pay in cash, but rather transfers this amount to the shop owner’s balance via this device. This is a good thing and there is nothing wrong with it.