Is it permissible to use "Visa Rewards" points earned from a non-interest-bearing Visa card, and are these points considered usury (riba)? And if they are usury, is it permissible to donate their value as charity?
If a person deposits money in a bank to use it for a Visa card, they are effectively lending to the bank. Therefore, it is impermissible to accept gifts or rewards from the bank, as these constitute usury (riba). Depositing money in an interest-based (riba-based) bank without necessity is forbidden, and the prohibition becomes greater if an Islamic bank is available. It is not permissible to accept gifts from an interest-based bank on current accounts, as these are also considered usury, unless it is for the purpose of divesting oneself of them if one is compelled to open the account. Cards issued by interest-based banks are absolutely forbidden, even if they are called "Islamic." It is obligatory to dispose of these rewards by giving them to the poor or spending them on public projects. This is not considered charity, but rather a purification from illicit wealth.
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- Original fatwa ID
- 17133
- Imported
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