#904: On The Mobile Opay Transactions
“Asalamualaikum wa ramatullah wa barakallahu, may Allah increase your knowledge and emaan ya sheikh. Ameen. Question pls: base on the new trending opay mobile transaction, I what to know if Halal or dislike by sharia. Jazakullahu khairan”
ANSWER:
Wa Alaykum Salām Warahmatullāh Wabarakātuh.
Amīn to your Du’ā. Jazakumullāhu Khayran.
OPAY is a mobile App that is owned by Opera Software AS, A Norwegian software company that operates browsers, anti viruses and mobile applications. By far, Opera is the Largest Mobile Browser Application in Nigeria, and second only to Google Chrome in Africa.
It is a mobile payment platform that allows its users to pay for goods and services electronically using a mobile phone via the OPay App.
In order to boost usage and build it’s customer base, Opera launched certain services that accepts or encourages OPay as its exclusive payment methods. Of these Services are ORide, OTrike, OFood, OBus, OWealth, OLeads, OKash, OCar, OList.
The simple strategy deployed here is to encourage people to key into it’s Payment Services by providing them with solutions to their Daily Requirements. A person who needs to transport himself in a place he is a stranger can easily use the OTrike or ORide workout any stress.
Aside that, they have made very significant inducements such as discounts for attract more customers. People who intend to be Riders with them are provided with Bikes at hire purchases. All of this boost their Market penetration.
It is important to note that what is in it for Opera Software is actually the Money that lies in the OWallet that is transferred into the OWealth Account. This money is made available to individuals for Interest-based Short Term Loans. These loans are obtainable to users through the OKash. The company gets 42.8% of it’s total revenue from OKash.
If you leave your money in your OWallet, OPay transfers it into your OWealth and can be invested. This Investment is made available as loans to individuals and generates for the Investor an Annual 10% interest. Please note that most Nigerian banks give average of 6% Rate of Interest return.
OPay has raised enough money for it’s Investment into the Nigerian Market. It raised 50 Million Dollars in June 2019 and 120 Million Dollars in November 2019.
As for the Ruling of the Dīn on this, there is no doubt that the OKash and the OWealth are Harām without a second thought. This is due to what they entail of Ribā and it’s likes. But there is nothing to make impermisible the other Services they offer to the best of our Understanding.
However, Payment Services can be a very rewarding venture for a Muslim to engage in as was mentioned by Shaykh ‘Umar Al-Haddūshī – hafidhahullāh – due to what it entails of making life easy for the Ummah and helping in transferring their funds to and from other places. What this means is that Muslims need to come up with very robust and strong Payment Services such as the OPay that is 100% Halāl, Inclusive and Trustworthy. When will the Ummah rise up to this challenge?
Bārakallāhu Fīkum
Jazakumullāhu Khayran
Abū Āsim
17th Jumadal Ūla, 1441AH.
📚 IslāmNode
