The Ruling on Using a Visa Card

Some banks have a (Visa) card where you take a sum and repay it after fifty days or forty-five days, the same amount. They do not charge interest on it. What is the ruling on that?The Shaykh: And if the period passes and you do not pay it?The questioner: I do not know, O Shaykh! The Shaykh: They impose an additional amount on you, and this is forbidden and not permissible, even if a person is confident that he will pay within the period. Circumstances may change, and an accident may happen to him requiring money for his or his family’s treatment. The money may not be available to him. Then, even if the man is very rich, he will certainly find what to pay with before the period ends. The basis of entering into this principle is usury (riba), which is forbidden; because it is known about them that if the period ends, they add to it what they call profit, which is in reality a loss. So entering into this is not permissible.