QUESTION:
1. Is it permissible to use the airtime advanced feature with an extra fee of the later payment option (for emergency & normal usage)?
2. Can one use, for example, “Voda bucks” that one’s network offers as a reward for when loading airtime, to receive points/bucks which in turn can be transformed or exchanged into data or airtime or a prize or a discount that can be claimed at another store?
3. Can one use extra airtime that a network gifts it’s user for loading of airtime with extra more talk time?
ANSWER:
1. We understand that the service provider is directly selling airtime to the consumer at a higher rate on account, which the consumer agrees to buy by pressing the relevant code to confirm the purchase. The transaction will therefore be in order.
بِمَا أَنَّ الْمَقْصِدَ الْأَصْلِيَّ مِنْ الْإِيجَابِ وَالْقَبُولِ هُوَ تَرَاضِي الطَّرَفَيْنِ يَنْعَقِدُ الْبَيْعُ بِالْمُبَادَلَةِ الْفِعْلِيَّةِ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَى التَّرَاضِي وَيُسَمَّى هَذَا بَيْعَ التَّعَاطِي.
مِثَالُ ذَلِكَ: أَنْ يُعْطِيَ الْمُشْتَرِي لِلْخَبَّازِ مِقْدَارًا مِنْ الدَّرَاهِمِ فَيُعْطِيَهُ الْخَبَّازُ مِقْدَارًا مِنْ الْخُبْزِ بِدُونِ تَلَفُّظٍ بِإِيجَابٍ وَقَبُولٍ , أَوْ أَنْ يُعْطِيَ الْمُشْتَرِي الثَّمَنَ لِلْبَائِعِ وَيَأْخُذَ السِّلْعَةَ وَيَسْكُتَ الْبَائِعُ , وَكَذَا لَوْ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إلَى بَائِعِ الْحِنْطَةِ وَدَفَعَ لَهُ خَمْسَةَ دَنَانِيرَ وَقَالَ: بِكَمْ تَبِيعَ الْمُدَّ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْحِنْطَةِ؟ فَقَالَ: بِدِينَارٍ فَسَكَتَ الْمُشْتَرِي , ثُمَّ طَلَبَ مِنْهُ الْحِنْطَةَ , فَقَالَ الْبَائِعُ: أُعْطِيك إيَّاهَا غَدًا يَنْعَقِدُ الْبَيْعُ أَيْضًا وَإِنْ لَمْ يَجْرِ بَيْنَهُمَا الْإِيجَابُ وَالْقَبُولُ (مجلة الاحكام ص36 ج1 -مادة 175)
2. If the bonus or gift is offered to consumers free of charge when loading airtime, then it is acceptable to utilize the gift.
3. This too is a gift from the service provider hence it will be permissible to use.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date:- 01 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1445 / 17 October 2023
