Is it permissible to pay Zakat on wealth to settle credit card debt?
It is forbidden to use a credit card that imposes a financial penalty for late payment of the loan, because it is a forbidden usurious condition. The indebted (Ghareem) is given from Zakat money if he is unable to pay his debt, provided that his debt is not for a sinful purpose. So, whoever incurred a debt for a sinful purpose, such as usury, is not to be given from Zakat unless he repents, abandons it, regrets it, and resolves not to do it again. Since taking a loan with an usurious credit card is forbidden, it is not permissible to pay it off from Zakat except after sincere repentance.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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