What is the ruling on bank cards used to pay for purchases abroad, where sometimes the balance does not cover the amount and the bank pays the excess on the person's behalf?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : Your Eminence, there are electronic cards issued by some banks and exchange companies. These cards are used when traveling abroad to pay bank bills or for some purchases from markets. When the invoices arrive, they are deducted from the person's account at the bank or company. Sometimes the balance does not cover the amount, leaving the person with a debt to the bank. The bank collects riba (usury or interest) on this at specific rates, sometimes without the person's intention. What is the ruling on this, and what should he do regarding what happened to him in the past?
The Shaykh : This transaction is haram (forbidden), because it is a transaction based on the commitment to riba (usury or interest). Even if it may appear to some that the riba is not imposed on them, they have entered into a commitment to riba, and this is haram (forbidden). As for the one who falls into this, if he is the beneficiary, he should give the excess riba (usury or interest) as charity with the intention of getting rid of it. If he is the one who was wronged and it was taken from him, his repentance is sufficient, because he is the oppressed one and not the oppressor.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : Your Eminence, there are electronic cards issued by some banks and exchange companies. These cards are used when traveling abroad to pay bank bills or for some purchases from markets. When the invoices arrive, they are deducted from the person's account at the bank or company. Sometimes the balance does not cover the amount, leaving the person with a debt to the bank. The bank collects riba (usury or interest) on this at specific rates, sometimes without the person's intention. What is the ruling on this, and what should he do regarding what happened to him in the past?
The Shaykh : This transaction is haram (forbidden), because it is a transaction based on the commitment to riba (usury or interest). Even if it may appear to some that the riba is not imposed on them, they have entered into a commitment to riba, and this is haram (forbidden). As for the one who falls into this, if he is the beneficiary, he should give the excess riba (usury or interest) as charity with the intention of getting rid of it. If he is the one who was wronged and it was taken from him, his repentance is sufficient, because he is the oppressed one and not the oppressor.