Is dealing with a bank to pay the installments for a recreational social club membership, with 9% annual interest, and labeled as a "personal loan," considered usury (riba) or a شبهة ربا (doubt of usury), especially after the fatwa from the Egyptian Dar Al-Ifta permitting such a transaction?
If the transaction involves an interest-based loan from the bank, it is not permissible except in cases of necessity. It appears that the bank pays the subscription amount to the company and then collects it from the subscriber with usurious interest, which is impermissible. However, if the transaction is with the club based on an agreed-upon amount at the time of the contract, which the subscriber pays in known installments, then there is no objection to that, even if the installment payments are more than the amount paid in cash.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/126438