Is a bank's purchase of a house or car for someone, based on the person's desire, permissible (halal) or a usurious trick (hilah ribawiyyah)?

If the bank purchases the commodity and it enters into its possession and responsibility, and then sells it to the customer for a price higher than its cost, there is no harm in that. This is known as Murabaha for the one who commands the purchase, and it is a legitimate alternative to usury (riba). However, if the bank pays the price on behalf of the buyer and then collects it from him with interest, this is blatant and forbidden usury, because the essence of contracts lies in their meanings, not in their wordings.