Fatwa ID: 09405
Answered by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Question:
Assalam o Alaikum
I wanted to ask a question on the permissibility of usage of Amex Plan IT feature. This feature enables to defer the a payment to a monthly instalment and include a fee which is communicated upon opting for it.
I’ll really appreciate it if I can be guided as to whether use of this feature would be permissible.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Using the Amex Plan IT feature would be prohibited.
The Amex Plan IT feature allows card holders to pay for their purchases or a portion of their balance over time in equal monthly instalments.[1] A fixed monthly fee, shown upfront, is added to these instalments.[1]
This would be considered as a kind of loan plus excess, which is riba (usury).[2] Riba is prohibited, and so the Amex Plan IT feature would be prohibited.[2]
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Muftiyah Humairah Badshah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-gb/benefits/plan-it/
[2]
ذَكَرَ الرِّبَا، لِأَنَّ فِي كُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا زِيَادَةً إلَّا أَنَّ تِلْكَ الزِّيَادَةَ حَلَالٌ، وَهَذِهِ حَرَامٌ
…
تَعْرِيفُ رِبَا الْفَضْلِ، لِأَنَّهُ هُوَ الْمُتَبَادَرُ عِنْدَ الْإِطْلَاقِ، وَلِذَا قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَضْلُ أَحَدِ الْمُتَجَانِسَيْنِ. نَعَمْ هَذَا يُنَاسِبُ تَعْرِيفَ الْكَنْزِ بِقَوْلِهِ فَضْلُ مَالٍ بِلَا عِوَضٍ فِي مُعَاوَضَةِ مَالٍ بِمَالٍ
فَإِنَّ الْأَجَلَ فِي أَحَدِ الْعِوَضَيْنِ فَضْلٌ حُكْمِيٌّ بِلَا عِوَضٍ، وَلَمَّا كَانَ الْأَجَلُ يُقْصَدُ لَهُ زِيَادَةُ الْعِوَضِ كَمَا مَرَّ فِي الْمُرَابَحَةِ صَحَّ وَصْفُهُ بِكَوْنِهِ فَضْلَ مَالٍ حُكْمًا
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.5 p.168
كُلُّ قَرْضٍ جَرَّ نَفْعًا حَرَامٌ
Radd Al-Muhtaar (Halabi ed., Daar Al-Fikr, https://shamela.ws) v.5 p.166