QUESTION:
1. I receive a message saying that if I recharge my mobile with a certain amount of money (e.g. Rupees 100) before a certain date I will receive one or more of the following.
(a) free airtime (for phone calls)
(b) free mobile data (for browsing the internet)
(c) cashback offer
My phone is credited with the amount I recharged. So if I recharged 100 rupees, I get another 100 rupees, making a total of 200 rupees which can be used for any available service such as calls, SMS, data etc.
These offers are generally valid for a fixed duration of time (mostly 7 days from the day of the recharge). However, it is observed that if I transfer the credit received from the cashback offer to another phone I can use it without any time limit. The free airtime and data cannot be transferred to another phone.
2. Another kind of offer is where I am asked to send a text message containing the words “FREE DATA” to a given number of the service provider, and on doing so I am credited with a certain amount of data valid for a limited duration.
Is it permissible to make use of such offers?
ANSWER:
1. The airtime, data and cashback received will be considered as a gift and therefore permissible to use. There is no harm in transferring the cashback to another phone. You are the owner and may therefore use the cashback on whichever device you wish.
2. There is no harm in sending a text stating ‘Free Data’ and receiving free data in return particularly if you are not paying more than standard rates to send the text.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Ahmed Saeed
Date:- 07 Jumādal Ukhra 1445 / 21 December 2023
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
