Is it permissible to take a loan from an usurious bank to pay back usurious interest of the same amount that the bank had added to the account?
Allah has forbidden usury and has threatened those who consume it and those who assist in it with war, torment, and destruction, as Allah the Almighty says: {O you who have believed, fear Allah and give up what remains [due to you] of usury, if you should be believers. And if you do not, then be informed of a war [against you] from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent, you may have your principal – [thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.}
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, cursed the one who consumes Riba, the one who feeds it, its scribe, and its two witnesses.
It is not permissible for a person to open an account or keep money in a usurious bank if there is a choice, due to the cooperation in sin involved.
However, if the workplace mandates it, then necessities permit prohibitions, with the obligation of withdrawing the money from the usurious bank and placing it in an Islamic bank once the necessity ceases.
Usurious interests must be disposed of by spending them on the welfare of Muslims, such as the poor, the needy, students of knowledge, orphans, and in building schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations. They should not be left to usurious banks, and you are not to return them directly to the bank.
And entering into a usurious loan is strictly forbidden.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/134786