A great number of taxi drivers in New York City are Muslims. And a Law is underway requiring all taxi to be accepting Credit Cards as one of the payment methods. What is the Islaamic ruling about this being that they make a living in this business? Should they leave the job all together because the law will also forbid drivers to refuse credits card holders?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is permissible to work in this profession even if you get your wages through credit cards because you have no relation with the prohibitions that these credit cards contain.

The reality of the transaction is that you get your right from the bank to which the credit card-holder referred you. The Prophet and the Muslims used to deal with non-Muslims in buying and selling, loans and so on, despite the fact that the money of the latter contained usury and interest and other forbidden money, as long as one does not know that this money belongs to others (right of others).

Allaah Knows best.