Q. I would like to know if the 5.00 bligh that b-mobile gives and then they take back 5.50 when you top up, if its halal because they claim to say that the 50 cents that they take extra with the 5.00 that they lent you is a service charge. Isn’t that riba?
A. If they claim that it is a service charge, then taking the bligh will be allowed since ‘a service charge’ is a valid charge which is acceptable in Islam, and it is not Riba. If however, it is known to be interest (riba), then in this case it will not be allowed seeing that you will be borrowing money on interest.
And Allah knows best.
Mufti Waseem Khan