The Jewish Eye
Issur of Ribbis and Credit Cards
Credit card purchases result in interest fees, if not paid at the end of the month. If you borrow a credit card from a friend to make a purchase there may be issur of interest involved if you ultimately pay both the amount of the purchase and the interest fee charged on the card. Technically the owner of the card is borrowing from the bank and you are borrowing in a separate transaction from him. Therefore even if you pay the bank the interest directly, it is considered payment of interest on a loan from your friend to you (issur of ribbis) and not between you and the non-Jewish bank.
One may only use a someone else's credit card to make a purchase if he fulfills either one of 2 conditions. a) the purchaser pays back the bank before the interest period begins or b) he pays only the amount of his purchase and does not pay the interest fees.
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