Chase Pay Over Time

sweetpsalmist

New member
Assalam Walkaikum all,

I've come across this relatively new feature in my Chase credit card account which is called "Pay over time". It allows any transactions on your card above a certain amount to be paid in installments, rather than due in full on your next statement close. It states there is no interest involved, however, there is a 'monthly fee' that is fixed which you pay per month, over the period of time you select (6 months, 12 months, 18 months). In some cases the monthly fee is $0.00, perhaps as a promotional way to get people to use the program.

My question is, in the instance the monthly fee is say, $10.00 per month for paying over 6 months, is this not the same type of payment over time that we can reference from the hadith of the Prophet (S) as well as general consensus amongst the 4 madhabs? Some references below:

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The Hanafi madhhab: “The price may be raised in return for delaying payment,” (Badaa’i’ al-Sanaa’i’, 5/187)

The Maaliki madhhab: “For more time some amount may be added to the price.” (Bidaayat al-Mujtahid, 2/108)

The Shaafa’i madhhab: “Five in cash is equivalent to six in deferred payment.” (al-Wajeez by al-Ghazaali, 1/85)

The Hanbali madhhab: “Delay add something to the price.” (Fataawa Ibn Taymiyah, 29/499).

In addition, Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked about the ruling on increasing the price in return for delaying payment, He said:

"There is nothing wrong with this transaction because paying cash for the product is different from delaying payment. The Muslims are still doing such transactions and this is like consensus that it is permissible. Some scholars held an odd opinion and said that it is not permissible to increase the price in return for delaying payment, and they thought that this was a kind of riba, but this is a baseless view. It is not a kind of riba at all, because when the dealer sells the product to be paid for later, he agrees to the delay so that he may benefit from the increase in price, and the purchaser agrees to the increase so that he may take his time and because he is unable to pay the price in cash on the spot. So both of them benefit from this transaction. There is a proven report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which indicates that this is permissible; he commanded ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him) to equip an army and he was buying one camel for two camels, to be handed over at a later date."

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Would this program be lawful when considering the above, assuming that there are no other hidden fees associated?
 
@sweetpsalmist No this would still be riba.

The Hadith about raising the price to pay over time are in transactions where something is being sold. In the Sheikh's opinion you quoted he specifically said transaction for a product. Not loans, which is what a credit card is. For example, selling a car or a computer at a higher price to someone who is going to pay over time is permissible as you've pointed out.

But on a credit card, or a loan, increasing what is owed or charging "fees" for deferred repayment is still riba.
 
@sweetpsalmist Having a credit card (different from a debit card) in the first place is not permissible as you are signing a contract agreeing to Riba even if you end up paying it monthly. You can do just fine using a debit card and spend only your own money.
 
@sbmor777 You can find "difference of opinion" on essentially anything you want if you Fatwa shop well enough. However, the truth is pretty straightforward. Allah has prohibited Riba. Allah has cursed the one who takes it, gives it, witnesses it, writes it down etc. If you are saying that you cannot live life without a credit card, then the whole making sure you pay it off will make sense. However, you can use a debit card. What is the use of a credit card for a Muslim?
 
@carlx21
You can find "difference of opinion" on essentially anything you want if you Fatwa shop well enough.

I agree but I don't think this applies here. I have seen many scholars who say credit cards are permissible as long as you don't pay interest. It's not a super minority/clearly deviant opinion.

For example, AMJA a well-known north American organization fiqh assembly has has ruled it is permissible - https://www.amjaonline.org/fatwa/en/1195/about-credit-cards

Credit cards provide many practical benefits over debit cards including no foreign transaction fees and much better fraud/consumer protection than a debit card. Oftentimes hotels and rental cars require credit cards as well and don't take debit for bookings. Additionally, building credit is essentially a necessity (in the US at least) considering your credit score is looked when renting apartments, trying to get insurance, setting up utilities, and some prospective employers even check credit.

I'm not here to argue credit cards are halal and everyone should have them. I'm simply pointing out that there is legitimate difference of opinion on them based on what I've seen.
 
@sbmor777 Again, truth is clear but if you Fatwa shop well enough, almost everything is permissible. They say you can buy a house with Riba if you are in the west, they say woman can travel with Mahram, you can use student loan etc. The truth is clear though. No one can go against Allah and his Rassul
 
@mekinney01 Please pull up your credit card contact. You are agreeing to pay a certain % of interest if you do not make the monthly payment on time. While you might plan to pay on time. The fact that you are agreeing to that contact is haram. And there is no necessity for it. It's a "convince". If I may ask, do you also have Riba home? And what is your Fatwa for that?
 

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