Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

In a sale transaction, does there have to be a representative present at the time of the transaction for every party involved in the transaction?

· 3 Rabiʻ I 1423 AH1 min readFatwa 5633English

Question

For example, when using a credit card or debit card, the buyer and seller assume that the bank or credit card company (third party) will pay out the sale amount. However, the bank or card company representative is not actually present to confirm this, thus leaving a sense of ambiguity in regards to the payment. Please explain, in detail, whether or not debit and credit cards are allowed in Islamic Law (assuming that all payments are due to be made within the interest free period).

Answer

It is permissible to use credit cards. Although the bank representative is not physically present to confirm the transaction, it is a guarantee. When the seller enters the credit card for processing, the bank will immediately guarantee the transaction, thus, confirming that the seller is entitled to the respective payment by the bank. This is also exactly how a bank cheque works.

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Answered by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/5633
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-5633

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