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Fatwa CenterSigning Terms and Conditions of Bank Card and Using it to Buy from the Internet
Question
Asalamo aleikoum.Im a muslim living in Spain. I want to own a bank card to buy things from the internet since it is needed to buy from the internet. Are there any debit cards which are halal that you advice me to have. There are debit cards which are apparently halal: so you buy with the money you have in your account but when you read the policy and conditions document of the card you find that there are types of riba involved in case some scenarios take place. So it may say in case you decide to use the debit card in such an such condition there is such interest. Of course , my intention is to use the card for halal purposes but you cant get it without signing a document, Is signing this document haram? If yes, what are other alternatives to buy things from the internet in a halal way?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
There is nothing wrong in dealing with a direct debit card, in which a deduction is made immediately from the customer’s balance with the bank. The fact that the issuing party stipulates taking fees for some transactions does not make it Riba (interest and/or usury), because a person only uses his money. The bank did not lend money to him, even if it was in the conditions of the card that it might lend if the balance was depleted, and charge interest in return for that; this does not prevent benefiting from the card in a permissible way.
Accordingly, it is permissible for you to sign the terms and conditions of use of that card and commit to using it for what is permissible and within the limits of your money only. In fact, credit cards issued by Rupee banks outside the Islamic world are authorized when needed with an alternative.
The European Council for Fatwa and Research (ECFR) said about the use of Visa cards: “Most of the contemporary scholars, as far as we know, held that using them is permissible only in case of dire need and valid necessity, provided that the holder (card bearer) pays the due amount on time before the expiration of the grace period so as to avoid any usurious interests charges because of the delayed payment, and will accordingly bear the sin of engaging in an usurious transaction. This is the common practice of Muslims in western countries and no scholar, whose opinion holds considerable authority in this regard, has criticized that practice. It is a required condition that the card holder does not use the card if he does not have any money in his bank account.” [End of quote]
Allah Knows Best.
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