QUESTION:
Small-scale businesses accept bank cards as a method of payment. However they have a minimum of R30 or R50 spend in order to swipe. I visited a store and bought two items to the value of R29. I asked the cashier if I could swipe and he said yes. Thereafter, before payment, he told me that he will add on R1 (I assume for bank charges) to the transaction (because they don’t swipe under 30 rand). I agreed. Is this type of a transaction permitted in Shari’ah?
ANSWER:
Charging a fee for swiping a card is permitted with the proviso that the shop owner does not charge more than the amount that he is being charged by the bank. He informed you (the customer) of his charges before proceeding with the transaction and you agreed to it, hence the transaction was in order.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb
Date: 01 Safr 1446 / 06 August 2024
