Fatwa: No credit card surcharges at fuel stations
The General Islamic Fiqh Council has confirmed that it is not permissible for gas stations or merchants to charge customers any additional fee when paying with credit cards, as such an increase is considered contrary to Shariah law and applicable regulations because it does not provide any extra service in exchange for the increased amount. They clarified that the relationship between the bank issuing the card and the cardholder varies depending on the type of card. A card protected by a balance relates to a guarantee and no fees should be imposed on it, whereas an unprotected card is considered a loan, and charging a fee on it is also prohibited. The fatwa was based on a decision by the Islamic Fiqh Assembly, which permits banks to impose charges on purchases provided that the price paid at the time of payment is equal to the cash price. The council has decided that it is not permissible for gas station owners or merchants to impose any additional charges on the buyer when using cards, even if these are intended to cover the fees received by the issuing bank.
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