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Fatwa CenterBuying things on credit cards
Question
Thank you so much for you effort to build up this site to help all Muslims to understand their religion and follow the right path. I have a visa card and use it to buy things, but I could not repay the money in the allowed time so they charged me some interest and I do not know whether it is halal or haram since I really cannot pay my debit. Please help me and may Allah help you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
As regards to the Visa card or any other credit card, we conclude that it contains Ribaa (usury or interest) which is forbidden in Islam, so it should not be used. Having a credit card and dealing with it has, in and of itself, many prohibitions:
1. Everyone who demands a credit card has to agree to the terms mentioned in the contract; that is, that he is ready to pay interest, thus he freely approves of dealing with interest. Therefore, whenever one delays in any payment he pays a certain percentage as interest. Merely signing such a contract is forbidden, since this clearly indicates that he approves of this transaction.
2. Very likely the one who has such a card is practically involved with interest whenever he delays a payment as happened to the questioner's brother/sister.
So, dealing with a credit card is permissible only when it is free from the legal prohibitions. The terms of all credit applications should be carefully examined to avoid illegal contracts. Whoever has committed a sin in this or any other regard should repent to Allaah immediately.
Allaah Knows best.
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