Receiving payments through 'payment merchants'

25-7-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalami aleikumI have a question regarding using payment merchants. I was thinking of starting a company, but by doing so I will have to use payment merchants to be able to accept money online, now the matter in doubt is that payment merchants that accept invoices, if the customer does not pay they might get a riba fee on the payment if it's delayed.Now when a transaction is done, I received the money from the payment merchant company. And they take care of the transaction between the customer and themselves, i.e once a customer uses invoice as the payment method the company sends me money. And deals with the customer from that point on.Now if that customer does not pay his invoice to the payment merchant he will get into delayed-fee/riba as in any usual delayed invoice. But i would have received the money and not be aware if he pays or not to that company, since they have taken that transaction for themselves.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible for you to set up your company, and if you need to use the mentioned system (payment merchants) for your business, then there is no harm in you using it. If the transaction between the customer and the payment merchant results in Riba, then you have nothing to do with this, and the sin of Riba falls upon them.

Allaah Knows best.