What is the ruling on taking bank interest, knowing that the questioner acknowledges the prohibition of usury (riba) but does not consider interest to be usury, and faces difficulty dealing with Islamic banks?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The benefits (interest) of banks are forbidden usury (riba), because the primary function of a bank is to trade in debts: borrowing and lending for a known percentage in exchange for time. This is precisely the usury that Islam has forbidden because it destroys the economy and increases its problems. Allah Almighty said: "And Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/61584
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 61584
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy