#49. THE RULING OF BORROWING AIRTIME CREDIT FROM TELECOMS COMPANIES WITH A CHARGE FEE
” Salamun alaikum ya admin,pls I am sorry but my questions on difference between a mu’min & Muslim, the term siddiq and how to attain d status of as-siddiq ,and on d issue borrowing money from Nigeria customer care, mtn, glo, etisalat, is there riba involved) jazakhallahu khairan”
ANSWER
Wa alaykum salaam warahmatullaah wabarakaatuh
Alhamdulillaah!
Beloved one, we did not forget your question on this matter neither did we go heedless of it.
Instead, we exercised patience in analysing and researching the subject matter.
The matter to which you referred is not only tricky, it is among the matters around which scholarly lenses in this era have differed.
The subject:
Borrowing of airtime credit from telecommunications
Conceptualization;
A person borrows ‘in theory’ #100 and pays an immediate #10 now and is credited with #90 instantly.
#100 is deducted from his airtime account once he recharges anything on his line.
Reality:
He is credited with some amount of money now and repays with a higher amount.
The Ulamaa of the time differed on its ruling because of its similarity to a particular Mas’ala (subject matter) which was discussed in the past and is found in the books of fiq’h. It subjects around the ruling of Installmental payment and hire purchase. The vast majority of the fuqahaa permit both. I.e. paying more in the future for a good given now.
Looked to in this way, it can be said that the #90 received now can be paid back as #100 in future as a halaal payment. This is the view point of those that permit it among the Ulamaa of the era.
However, the difference is that in the matter put to discussion in the books of Fiqh, the good is given now and paid for later whereas in this case, the payment (charge) is made now by the immediate deduction of #10 in airtime and #100 later.
This difference, if left on its back is tantamount to exploitation and usury.
This is the correct and safest stance on this matter inshaaAllaah.
We ask Allah for guidance .
The believer must remember the hadith in which the Rasul – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – said:
دع ما يريبك إلى ما لا يريبك
“Leave that which puts you in doubt to what does not put you in doubt.”
Baarakallaahu feekum
Jazaakumullaahu khayran
