Fiqh Muamalah Analysis of Paylater Systems: Behavioral Control, Impulse Buying, and Sharia Compliance

Najma Taralia Farah (Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta Indonesia)
Afdawaiza Afdawaiza (Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta Indonesia)
Ahmad Sarjon Razik (A'Sharqiyah University Merkez Oman)
Abdullah Ali Al Makky (Umm al-Qura University Makkah Saudi Arabia)
Dind Ibra Benign Sajid (Al-Azhar University Cairo Egypt)

Ulumuddin : Jurnal Ilmu-ilmu Keislaman
Vol 16 No 1 (2026): (In Progress)

The rise of paylater as a dominant payment feature in Indonesian e-commerce and e-wallet platforms has triggered notable shifts in how consumers make purchase decisions. This study explores, through a qualitative literature approach, how paylater weakens behavioral control particularly perceived behavioral control within the Theory of Planned Behavior and accelerates impulse buying tendencies. When payment friction is reduced to a single tap, the psychological cost of spending diminishes, making unplanned purchases feel deceptively rational. Findings further indicate that impulse buying, when paired with satisfying post-purchase experiences, mediates repurchase intention. However, this cycle is fragile post-purchase regret can just as easily sever platform loyalty. From an Islamic economic lens, paylater raises unresolved concerns regarding transparency, interest-like penalties, and the promotion of israf. The study concludes that the behavioral consequences of financial technology design deserve more critical attention.