IS THIS TRUE? My friend says that you cannot purchace food on a credit card, whether it is at the grocery store or at a resturant, even if you intend to pay off the balance at the end of the month. You HAVE to first pay then eat or the food is haram. I also buy meat at butcher store and pay at the end of the month. Is this a major sin? Please explain what is & is not permissible.(2) Please explain Hadeeth about accepting another Muslim’s invitation to eat at his house, and the angels following you there.
1. It comes in a Hadith that a person should accept another Muslims? invitation to eat at his house. Rasulullah [sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam] said, ?That person who does not accept an invitation, he has disobeyed Allah and His Rasul [Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam].
2. The purchasing of food or any other commodity by credit card will be Halaal and permissible. However, you should bear the following in mind concerning credit cards:
a. The best way of using these cards is to open an account wherefrom all the amounts owing are debited to avoid the possibility of default which may carry the risk of interest.
b. One must always be careful that he pays the bills within the stipulated time without fail, so that interest may not be imposed upon him. (Contemporary Fataawa pg.246)
3. As far as the angels following you there is concerned (to the house of the hostinvitee), there is no clear Hadith that we know of. However, it comes in a Hadith, ?When a Muslim visits another Muslim in the morning, 70,000 angels make Du’aa of forgiveness for him till the evening and if he visits him in the evening, then 70,000 angels make Du’aa for him till the morning.?. (Riyaadhus-saaliheen pg.380). It comes in another Hadith, ?That person who visits a sick person or his Muslim brother solely for the pleasure of Allah, then a calling out angel calls out that you have done well and your walking is blessed and a place has been built for you in paradise.? (Tirmidhi vol.2 pg.21; HM Saeed)
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai