My Cell Phone as Credit Card, Wallah !!!

[Hala401]

This is most alarming and must somehow be haram (forbidden). One of my roomates has device to allow him the use of his cell phone to scan credit cards! Very soon, he says that Cell phones will be used as credit cards! This is most alarming! How can this be permitted? Do you think he was simply winding me up?

[FunkyTown]

This is most alarming and must somehow be haram (forbidden). One of my roomates has device to allow him the use of his cell phone to scan credit cards! Very soon, he says that Cell phones will be used as credit cards! This is most alarming! How can this be permitted? Do you think he was simply winding me up?

Near Field Communication. It's used right now as a credit card. In many places. Why would that be a wind-up and why would it be forbidden? What in particular alarms you about a cell phone that acts as a credit card?

If a credit card could make phone calls, would that be just as bad? A credit card with the ability to make phone calls?

[Dravin]

There are devices that allow phones to scan credit cards for transactions (it's simply what you see in the grocery store put onto your phone), which is what it sounds like your friend has. Why would it be alarming to be able to use a cellphone as a credit card? And why would it not be permitted?

Keep in mind without a physical card, but just memorizing the particulars*, I can use a smart phone to go online and make purchases that way. The only jump using a cellphone as a credit card means really is storing the particulars on the phone in some medium. Yes, cell phones can be lost but so can wallets. The only potential concern would be, aside from physical loss which as mentioned isn't unique, insecure communication protocols but that will apply to my aforementioned smartphone purchases anyway. I'm not familiar enough with the field to know if it's a credible concern or not.

*And some websites will store them for you if you are so inclined.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Dravin

[Guest]

This is most alarming and must somehow be haram (forbidden). One of my roomates has device to allow him the use of his cell phone to scan credit cards! Very soon, he says that Cell phones will be used as credit cards! This is most alarming! How can this be permitted? Do you think he was simply winding me up?

If you walk into an Apple Store on a major new release day, you'll see their salespeople walking around the store with iPads that can scan credit cards. This allows them to have an expandable number of registers to accomodate the temporary giant influx of customers wanting the latest stuff. They sell these credit card scanners at the store as well. Businesses who go to customer sites to provide products/services (like COD shippers or pizza deliveries) carry them around in their phones/tablets so they can take your money at the door. I buy tons of stuff from Amazon and the like... on the go. I wouldn't mind having a credit card scanner on my phone that works with Amazon so I wouldn't have to type all those numbers every single time I buy something, or save the numbers with Amazon... and, just last Saturday, I could've gotten everybody on the soccer team to just get their cards scanned right there at the field to order the trophies from this place online.

But, I'm more excited about paying for something with biometrics, like fingerprint scan, retina scan, whatever. Then I can run after the kids without having to worry about a purse... That would be something.

[Hala401]

Are you not fearful that this is a progression toward taking the Mark of the Beast?

Really, it was just a jolt for me as I was alive much before Credit Cards, and still remember 4 party lines and the fact that Milk comes from the Cow warm.

[beefche]

How is this progression towards the mark of the beast?

[Guest]

Voila.

[Hala401]

How is this progression towards the mark of the beast?

Oh, never mind me, I had a moment of evangelical paranoia

[FunkyTown]

Oh, never mind me, I had a moment of evangelical paranoia

No forgiveness necessary!

The mark of the beast is a tricky one, but the simple ability to make a transaction won't be what changes it.

When people start talking about a law that requires someone to get a mark or else they will be unable to buy or sell? That will be moving towards the mark.

[Hala401]

OK, I confess, after the gravity of discussions yesterday, I felt compelled to try to create some comic relief. Being jolly is much more entertaining than being adult.

[Hala401]

Since I am now very sure that me being Mormon is gonna stick, I have been struggling to put a new Avatar in place of my old photo and I keep not getting it. Can someone help me?

[estradling75]

I have delete your old Avatar... Try uploading your new one now

[rameumptom]

What makes a gun dangerous? The people who wield it. A gun is just potential energy. How an individual uses it determines whether it is used for good or evil.

So it is with technology. It can be used for good things, as some have noted with cell phone credit card attachments, or for evil by those who steal numbers. And yes, perhaps the Beast will someday use a similar technology. That does not mean the technology itself is evil.

[Hala401]

What makes a gun dangerous? The people who wield it. A gun is just potential energy. How an individual uses it determines whether it is used for good or evil.

So it is with technology. It can be used for good things, as some have noted with cell phone credit card attachments, or for evil by those who steal numbers. And yes, perhaps the Beast will someday use a similar technology. That does not mean the technology itself is evil.

You are saying there are no evil Jenn in my phone?

[Just_A_Guy]

Oh, never mind me, I had a moment of evangelical paranoia

My understanding is that Islam frowns on traditional Western financial procedures and that a whole system of Islamic banking has developed. Perhaps that's the root of some of your concerns?

Mormonism encourages people to be honest and fair in their commercial dealings generally; but doesn't outlaw interest or proscribe any specific criteria that financial transactions must meet.

[Hala401]

Yes, there are rules in Islam forbidding usery, so the merchant just raises the price to pay for profit. I believe it is the same thing. Leviticus specifically prohibits it.

[rameumptom]

You are saying there are no evil Jenn in my phone?

I cannot determine that from here. Please send me your phone, so I can check it for any evil spirits. Of course this may take several months to determine, so please keep paying your bill while I manage this very tricky and difficult issue. If I do find Jenn in your phone, it will take longer for me to exorcize it.

[Guest]

Hala! Is that you in that avatar? The same woman from the previous avatar with the hijab?

Wow, girl, you are super pretty with awesome hair. Loving the highlights. Filipino me has one hair color - plain dark brown. Boring. LOL.

[Hala401]

I cannot determine that from here. Please send me your phone, so I can check it for any evil spirits. Of course this may take several months to determine, so please keep paying your bill while I manage this very tricky and difficult issue. If I do find Jenn in your phone, it will take longer for me to exorcize it.

I took phone to bathroom with me so perhaps that is where it got the deamons? They live in there, eating fingernail clippings, but of course you knew that, right?

[Hala401]

Hala! Is that you in that avatar? The same woman from the previous avatar with the hijab?

Wow, girl, you are super pretty with awesome hair. Loving the highlights. Filipino me has one hair color - plain dark brown. Boring. LOL.

Shhh. The men are not to hear this. It is not permissible. The hair in the new Avatar is wig as about three years ago it was all gone. I am still very selfconscious about it but with Sisters at church I do not wear wig, though when I first started with church I wore Hijab.

Thank you.

Hala

[pam]

Jenn's are evil? Uh oh...I know two of them just from this site.

You know what? I think you are right.

[Hala401]

In Phonetic Arabic the word sounds like Jenn, but who knows what it sounds like for real in Arabic. There actually is a branch of Shia Islam which is very mystic, and they believe that the Jenn live in Bathrooms, and do eat fingernail clippings and other non living body parts, or things which come from body.

Wudu (ritual washing) is also very interesting. You can probably find good video on youtube about it. One simply washes their feet, hands, arms, and face in a certain way. It is also the reason for the prohibition of nail polish, and um makeup.

So, for me things like holy garments, and temple ordinances were not much of a reach. The symbolisim is beautiful, while the uninitiated may not understand.

[LightSeeker]

Hi.. this is my first post

but I wanted to reply because a couple of hours ago I decided to download an

app that allows me to use my iPhone as a credit card, now I don´t have to take

the card everywhere I can do all the transactions with the phone:D