3 Shar‘i Dimensions of Charging Extra on JazzCash & EasyPaisa ❖ Question:
Some shopkeepers deduct Rs. 10 or 20 extra when withdrawing or sending Rs. 1000 via JazzCash or EasyPaisa accounts. Under which Shar‘i ruling does this act fall?
❖ Answer by: Fadhilat al-Shaykh Abdul Wakeel Nasir (حفظه الله)
If a shopkeeper provides you with a service through JazzCash, EasyPaisa, or similar mobile money platforms and charges a fee in return, then this transaction is valid.
He is offering:
◈ His time,
◈ His service,
◈ And his resources, which vary from shop to shop—some may charge less, others more.
So if this is clearly a service fee, there is no Shar‘i objection to it.
❖ Follow-up Question:
What about those shopkeepers who take Rs. 10 or 20 per Rs. 1000 for transferring money via JazzCash or EasyPaisa—is it permissible to charge this fee?
❖ Answer by:
The permissibility depends on the basis for charging the extra amount:
❶ If Charged as a Service Fee:
If the extra amount is taken as a clearly defined fee for the service being rendered, then it is permissible.
This is not interest (riba); rather, it is compensation for providing a legitimate service.
❷ If Linked to a Loan with Extra Return:
If the extra amount is charged as a condition over a loan—meaning the shopkeeper first lends the money and then demands an extra payment upon return, then this falls under riba (interest) and is strictly haram (forbidden).
❖ Clarification:
Question from the Inquirer:
“Respected Shaykh, what constitutes a loan in such a case? From what we observe, it seems the shopkeeper is simply taking a service fee. Otherwise, how would he benefit from offering the service?”
Shaykh Faidh al-Abrar Shah (حفظه الله) replied:
Sometimes, it does involve a loan transaction.
He shared a real example:
“I wanted to send some money but didn’t have the amount at that moment. So I requested the shopkeeper to send the money immediately, and I would pay him back after a week.”
In this situation:
The shopkeeper gave a loan, And conditioned an extra return upon repayment. This qualifies as riba (interest), and is therefore haram.
Summary of the Three Shar‘i Dimensions:
① Permissible: If the fee is taken purely as a service charge.
② Impermissible (Haram): If the transaction involves a loan and the extra fee is a condition upon repayment.
③ Dependent on Intention and Structure: If there is ambiguity, one must examine whether the fee is genuinely for the service, or linked to deferred payment (loan)—only the former is permissible.
Conclusion:
✔ A fixed and agreed-upon service fee for using JazzCash or EasyPaisa is halal.
✖ If the transaction turns into a loan with extra return, it becomes riba, which is prohibited.
