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What is the ruling on using a credit card in cases of necessity, and must one dispose of purchases made with it after realizing their unlawfulness, even if the amount was settled without interest?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible for a Muslim to open an account or keep money in an interest-based bank by choice, due to the Almighty’s saying: "And do not cooperate in sin and aggression." However, it is permissible in cases of necessity, if the employer mandates it, provided no amount of money is kept in the account, and any usurious interest is disposed of by spending it on the welfare of Muslims or giving it as charity. It is not permissible to use a credit card because it involves an acknowledgment of usury and the possibility of falling into it, except in cases of extreme necessity that permit the prohibited. As for purchases, they are permissible, because their price is a loan that eventually transfers to the ownership of the borrower.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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