Is it permissible for a person to take cash loans from traditional commercial banks that do not comply with the Islamic law?
هل يجوز للإنسان أخذ قروض نقدية من البنوك التقليدية التجارية والتي لا تلتزم بالتعامل وفق أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية؟
Islamic law strictly prohibits transactions involving interest, directing believers to lawful financial alternatives instead of conventional bank loans.
تحرم الشريعة الإسلامية المعاملات التي تنطوي على الفائدة تحريماً قاطعاً، وتوجه المؤمنين إلى البدائل المالية المشروعة بدلاً من القروض المصرفية التقليدية.
Commercial Bank Loans and Riba | قروض البنوك التجارية والربا
1. The Prohibition of Traditional Bank Loans
It is not permissible for a Muslim to deal with loans with traditional commercial banks that do not comply with Islamic law, especially with regard to loans, the traditional bank is based on the idea of lending with interest.
1. تحريم قروض البنوك التقليدية
لا يجوز للمسلم التعامل بالقروض مع البنوك التجارية التقليدية التي لا تلتزم بأحكام الشريعة الإسلامية، خاصة فيما يتعلق بالقروض، فإن البنك التقليدي يقوم على فكرة الإقراض بفائدة.
2. A Practical Example
Example: The bank gives the client a loan of $2,000, with the customer paying back the amount of $3,600 over equal monthly installments for 36 months; each month $100 for a total of $3,600, a direct interest loan on capital. So this is exactly the interest that Allah Almighty has forbidden.
2. مثال عملي
مثال ذلك يقوم البنك بإعطاء العميل قرضًا بمبلغ (2000$)، على أن يقوم العميل برد المبلغ (3600$) على مدى أقساط شهرية متساوية لمدة (36) شهرًا، كل شهر (100$) المجموع (3600$)، فتلك العملية عبارة عن قرض بفائدة مباشرة على رأس المال، أو بعبارة أخرى مال بمال مع زيادة بأحد العوضين، فذلك عين الربا الذي حرمه الله عز وجل.
3. The Severe Warning in the Quran
(O believers! Fear Allah, and give up outstanding interest if you are true believers. If you do not, then beware of a war with Allah and His Messenger! But if you repent, you may retain your principal, neither inflicting nor suffering harm.) Al-Baqara 2: 278 to 279.
3. التحذير الشديد في القرآن
بقول: (يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَذَرُوا مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الرِّبَا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ * فَإِن لَّمْ تَفْعَلُوا فَأْذَنُوا بِحَرْبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ۖ وَإِن تُبْتُمْ فَلَكُمْ رُءُوسُ أَمْوَالِكُمْ لَا تَظْلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظْلَمُونَ) البقرة 2: 278 إلى 279.
4. The Historical Context of Riba
This is because the people in Jahiliya (age of ignorance) dealt with loans, and when the loan comes to term, the debtor says to the creditor: "If you can defer the payment of the loan, I will compensate you by increasing the amount." Or the debtor tells the lender: "If you can defer payment of the loan in exchange for the increase in the value of repayment." And that is the principle of loans that banks deal with today and therefore this is how the economy is established in our contemporary world.
4. السياق التاريخي للربا
وذلك أن أهل الجاهلية يتعاملون بالقرض فإذا حلَّ الأجل قال المدين للدائن أنظرني وأزدك، أي أمهلني بأداء الدين وأزيد عليك في العوض. أو يقول المدين للدائن أزدك وأجل الدين، فيؤجل الدين مقابل الزيادة في قيمة السداد، فذلك هو الربا الدين الذي تتعامل به المصارف اليوم وعليه يقوم الاقتصاد في عالمنا المعاصر.
5. The Prophetic Curse on Usury
Jabir said that Allah’s Messenger pbuh said "Allah cursed the one who accepted usury, the one who paid it, the one who recorded it, and the two witnesses to it," saying they were all alike. Muslim.
5. اللعن النبوي للربا
ومن السنة قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (لعن الله آكل الربا وموكله وكاتبه وشاهديه، وقال: هم سواء) رواه مسلم.
Scholarly Insight: Islamic scholars across all major schools of jurisprudence agree that contemporary bank interest is identical to the forbidden Riba. A fundamental rule in Islamic finance states: "Every loan that draws a benefit is Riba." Taking out a loan that requires paying back the principal amount plus a fixed or variable percentage is categorically forbidden. The severity of this sin is emphasized by the Prophetic Hadith which places the curse of Allah not only on the bank collecting the interest, but equally on the customer paying it, the clerk recording the transaction, and the witnesses to the contract.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Is the interest charged by modern banks considered Riba?
Yes. Any amount required to be paid above the original borrowed principal is Riba. Modern banking relies on the same concept used in the pre-Islamic era, where extra money is demanded in exchange for time.
Is the person borrowing the money also committing a sin, or just the bank?
Both are committing a major sin. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explicitly cursed the one who takes usury, the one who pays it, and anyone involved in writing or witnessing the contract.
What are the consequences of dealing with Riba in Islam?
The Quran describes those who refuse to give up Riba as entering into a state of war with Allah and His Messenger. It is considered one of the gravest sins that brings destructive consequences in this life and the hereafter.