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What is the ruling on using a bank card for online withdrawals and purchases from a usurious bank, knowing that it is the only bank in the region that supports this card, and what is the ruling if an official account is opened with this bank?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The default rule is to avoid dealing with interest-based banks unless there is a dire necessity, and in the absence of an Islamic bank. In such cases, one should only deal to the extent of the need.

As for credit cards, if there is a recognized need for them, it is preferable to use a debit card that draws from the cardholder's balance to avoid interest-based fees.

As for uncovered cards, they are of three types: 1. Credit cards issued for a known fee: These are a means of purchasing on credit without interest for late payments. They are issued by Islamic banking institutions and are permissible by Islamic law. 2. Interest-based credit cards: These are a means of purchasing on credit with interest accruing, and they are forbidden by Islamic law. 3. Cards that provide a specific grace period without interest, after which interest accrues upon delay: These are impermissible due to containing a corrupt condition. However, those in dire need are permitted to use them when the necessity is pressing and no alternative exists, provided they intend to repay before the grace period ends.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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