Why Debit Cards Are Not Haram in Islam
C.J Ahmed-26.04.2023
A debit card is a plastic card is actually a bank card which can be used to directly deduct money from your bank account when purchasing good instead of having to pay in cash each time. A debit card is use for convenience and there is nothing haram in using a debit card in Islam because,
What is The Islamic Position of Using Credit Cards?
This is one of the most trickiest and controversial issue on credit cards and the argument is that a person who is getting a credit card must sign the agreement that he will pay the interest if he fails to pay before the stipulated date and quote the following hadiths,
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah has cursed the one who consumes usury, its client, its witness, and its recorder. Usury and adultery do not become widespread among people but that they will become vulnerable to the punishment of Allah Almighty.”(Musnad Ahmed-GradedSahih by Zaid Shakir)
Ibn Mas'ud narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (sal) cursed the one who consumed Riba, and the one who charged it, those who witnessed it, and the one who recorded it." (Tirmidhi-Graded Hasan Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi)
The bove hdiths mention that the person who takes interest, the one who charged interest and the one who witnessed it is cursed. The one who signs the agreement is not paying any interest but signing the agreement that if he/she delays the payment, theywill have to pay an interest. The interest is charged every onth in a credit card if you delay payment for purchases which is known as Daily Periodic Rate (DPR). You can simply avoid the interest by paying the credit before the stipulated date. Now the question would arise, “ what is I due o some reson cannot make the payment in due date and is charged for interest.?” The answer for this is with a few pragmatic solutions ane one Is,
There are some of the scholars with the sound Aqeada who were against credit cards and one was Sheikh Salih al Uthaymeen who gave a fatwa against credit cards because credit cards payments which are delayed will be accrued with an interest payment and the person who signs the agreement is agreeing to it. First of all it is and to judge person based merely on the actions becaue Allah(swt) judges the ction’s based on the intentions.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)
A person can simply sign the agreement with the intention that he will not pay the interest or that he will pay the credit before tha stipulated time. The agreement which the person is signing is not an Islamic agreement but is a piece of paper or eltronic method made mostly by non-Muslims and arguing based on an agreement which is presented by a Kafir with out even witnesses cannot be taken as something for an argument to base a ruling in the Shariah. The agreement to pay internet is stipulated by the disbelievers in the bank just becaue the Muslim signs the agreement physically does not mean he/she agrees to the terms. You do not need to agree to the terms of the bank on paying interest.
It was narrated from ‘Ali (rali) that The Prophet (sal) said:
“There is no obedience to any human being if it involves disobedience to Allah.”( Bukhari and Muslim)
A Muslim is not bun to agree to the terms in the credit card agreement and a Muslim can simply not accept it with his intention although the agreement is signed physically.
Asking a delay payment from a creditor is a violation of the person who takes credit and the person who is signing the agreement can be against the interest payment with his intention. There are also credit cards which do not charge interest such as Tawarruq and Mudharabah credit cards ut theses are only available in certain banks and geographies.
A debit card is a plastic card is actually a bank card which can be used to directly deduct money from your bank account when purchasing good instead of having to pay in cash each time. A debit card is use for convenience and there is nothing haram in using a debit card in Islam because,
- There is no interest payment involved
- The payment is straight deducted from your bank account
- There are no penalty payments incolved which ar actually interest disguised as charges by banks.
What is The Islamic Position of Using Credit Cards?
This is one of the most trickiest and controversial issue on credit cards and the argument is that a person who is getting a credit card must sign the agreement that he will pay the interest if he fails to pay before the stipulated date and quote the following hadiths,
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Allah has cursed the one who consumes usury, its client, its witness, and its recorder. Usury and adultery do not become widespread among people but that they will become vulnerable to the punishment of Allah Almighty.”(Musnad Ahmed-GradedSahih by Zaid Shakir)
Ibn Mas'ud narrated:
"The Messenger of Allah (sal) cursed the one who consumed Riba, and the one who charged it, those who witnessed it, and the one who recorded it." (Tirmidhi-Graded Hasan Sahih by Imam Tirmidhi)
The bove hdiths mention that the person who takes interest, the one who charged interest and the one who witnessed it is cursed. The one who signs the agreement is not paying any interest but signing the agreement that if he/she delays the payment, theywill have to pay an interest. The interest is charged every onth in a credit card if you delay payment for purchases which is known as Daily Periodic Rate (DPR). You can simply avoid the interest by paying the credit before the stipulated date. Now the question would arise, “ what is I due o some reson cannot make the payment in due date and is charged for interest.?” The answer for this is with a few pragmatic solutions ane one Is,
- To pay the interest using any interest you have especially that is paid by a bank in your bank account. For an eample, if you have savings account,the bank will pay you interest depending on vrious factor and you can pay that interest money to settle the credit crd interet.
- The other option will be to pay off the interest If you are capable becaue it is not your fult and it is not a sin evn if you paid the interest becue you intention was good. You are actually forced to pay interest and it is not a sin to do so.
There are some of the scholars with the sound Aqeada who were against credit cards and one was Sheikh Salih al Uthaymeen who gave a fatwa against credit cards because credit cards payments which are delayed will be accrued with an interest payment and the person who signs the agreement is agreeing to it. First of all it is and to judge person based merely on the actions becaue Allah(swt) judges the ction’s based on the intentions.
Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (rali) narrated that he heard the prophet (sal) say,
"Verily actions are by intentions, and for every person is what he intended” (Bukhari and Muslim)
A person can simply sign the agreement with the intention that he will not pay the interest or that he will pay the credit before tha stipulated time. The agreement which the person is signing is not an Islamic agreement but is a piece of paper or eltronic method made mostly by non-Muslims and arguing based on an agreement which is presented by a Kafir with out even witnesses cannot be taken as something for an argument to base a ruling in the Shariah. The agreement to pay internet is stipulated by the disbelievers in the bank just becaue the Muslim signs the agreement physically does not mean he/she agrees to the terms. You do not need to agree to the terms of the bank on paying interest.
It was narrated from ‘Ali (rali) that The Prophet (sal) said:
“There is no obedience to any human being if it involves disobedience to Allah.”( Bukhari and Muslim)
A Muslim is not bun to agree to the terms in the credit card agreement and a Muslim can simply not accept it with his intention although the agreement is signed physically.
Asking a delay payment from a creditor is a violation of the person who takes credit and the person who is signing the agreement can be against the interest payment with his intention. There are also credit cards which do not charge interest such as Tawarruq and Mudharabah credit cards ut theses are only available in certain banks and geographies.