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Transferring
money via banks which deal with ribaa and using the ribaa
for good causes
*Please appropriately reference
this fatwa to: www.fatwa-online.com, thankyou!*
Question:
We are Turkish workers working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
and it is no secret that our country has adopted a secular
rule and system, and ribaa
is widespread in our country to an extraordinary extent such
that it has reached 50% in a single year. And since we are
based here (in Saudi Arabia) we have to send money to our
families in Turkey via the banks which deal with ribaa.
And likewise, we deposit money in the banks out of fear of
theft or losing it and other dangers. Considering this, we
pose two important questions we have to your excellency, and
(we ask you to) provide us with a fatwa
in this regard, and may Allaah reward you with much good.
Firstly:
Is it permissible to take ribaa
from these banks and donate it in charity to the poor and
build charitable homes, etc., instead of leaving it with them?
Secondly:
If this is not permissible, then is it permissible to deposit
money in these banks out of necessity for safe keeping out
of fear of theft or losing it, without taking the ribaa,
keeping in mind that the banks use it (the money) so long
as it remains in the account?
Response:
If necessity requires you to transfer (money) via a bank which
deals with ribaa,
then there is no harm in this, inshaa.-Allaah, as Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala) says:
{He
has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except
under compulsion of necessity}, [Soorah
al-An'aam, Aayah
119].
And
no doubt transferring (money) via (such) banks is a general
necessity in this time, and likewise depositing (money) in
these banks is (also) a necessity without stipulating any
(seeking of) benefit, and if they pay you benefits without
any conditions and without agreement, then there is no harm
in taking it and spending it on charitable causes, such as
assisting the poor and those in debt and the like, not so
as to own anything or benefit from it, rather this comes under
the ruling of money which is harmful to the Muslims if it
is left, considering it is received from that which is not
permissible (ribaa).
So, spending it in that which benefits the Muslims is better
than leaving it for the kuffaar to utilise in that which Allaah
has prohibited.
And
if it is possible to transfer (money) via Islaamic banks or
any other permissible methods, then it is not permissible
to transfer (money) via banks which deal with ribaa,
and likewise if it is possible to deposit (money) in an Islaamic
bank or an Islaamic business, then it is not permissible to
deposit (money) in a bank which deals with ribaa,
since the necessity has (now) been alleviated.
And
Allaah is the Expounder of success.
Shaykh
Ibn Baaz
Silsilah
Kitaab ad-Da'wah (1), al-Fataawa - Volume 1, Page 148
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