Source: Excerpt from the book “Aḥkām wa Masāʾil: In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah” by Shaykh Mubashshir Ahmad Rabbānī ḥafiẓahullāh
If I need to deposit money in a bank, which type of account should I open?
I am a government employee, and our salaries are credited via bank. So, which type of account should we use for depositing our money?
It is an undeniable fact that the banking system is based on interest (ribā). There are generally two types of bank accounts:
A saving account is impermissible (ḥarām) because it is based on interest, involving the giving and taking of ribā — which is strictly prohibited in Islam.
“Allah has permitted trade and prohibited interest.”
(Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:275)
Allah continues:
“Whoever receives this admonition from his Lord and refrains (from interest), what has passed is forgiven, and his matter is with Allah. But whoever returns to it – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.”
Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated that:
This hadith makes it clear that not only taking and giving interest is sinful, but even writing it down or witnessing it brings equal curse and sin — solely because it is assisting and facilitating ribā.
Though current accounts do not involve directly taking or giving interest, they still support the interest-based banking system, which makes one an accomplice in a forbidden transaction.
The Qur’an commands:
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and transgression.”
(Sūrah al-Mā’idah 5:2)
So reflect upon the hadith of Jābir once more:
The scribe and the witnesses were not involved in receiving or paying interest, yet the Prophet ﷺ cursed them equally — why?
Simply because they assisted in facilitating ribā.
If your salary is transferred to a bank by necessity, then:
✔ You may receive it,
✖ But you should not leave it deposited unnecessarily in the bank.
✔ Withdraw it as soon as possible and do not use the account as a storage for your funds.
It is important for every believer to completely avoid any form of cooperation with interest-based systems, and to strive to distance themselves from the banking system as much as possible.
➤ Saving Accounts are clearly ḥarām due to involvement in ribā.
➤ Current Accounts, although interest-free, still constitute indirect support to an interest-based system and should be avoided unless necessary.
➤ If required by your employer (such as for salary transfers), only use it to receive the payment, and withdraw your funds promptly.
➤ Avoid storing or depositing your own savings in any conventional bank.
❖ Question:
If I need to deposit money in a bank, which type of account should I open?
I am a government employee, and our salaries are credited via bank. So, which type of account should we use for depositing our money?
❖ Answer:
It is an undeniable fact that the banking system is based on interest (ribā). There are generally two types of bank accounts:
① Saving Account
② Current Account
❖ Ruling on Saving Account
A saving account is impermissible (ḥarām) because it is based on interest, involving the giving and taking of ribā — which is strictly prohibited in Islam.
❖ Qur’anic Evidence:
﴿ وَأَحَلَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ ٱلرِّبَىٰ ﴾
“Allah has permitted trade and prohibited interest.”
(Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:275)
Allah continues:
“Whoever receives this admonition from his Lord and refrains (from interest), what has passed is forgiven, and his matter is with Allah. But whoever returns to it – those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.”
❖ Hadith of the Prophet ﷺ
Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه narrated that:
❝The Messenger of Allah ﷺ
❝They are all equal in sin.❞
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1598
This hadith makes it clear that not only taking and giving interest is sinful, but even writing it down or witnessing it brings equal curse and sin — solely because it is assisting and facilitating ribā.
❖ Ruling on Current Account
Though current accounts do not involve directly taking or giving interest, they still support the interest-based banking system, which makes one an accomplice in a forbidden transaction.
The Qur’an commands:
﴿ وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ﴾
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and transgression.”
(Sūrah al-Mā’idah 5:2)
So reflect upon the hadith of Jābir once more:
The scribe and the witnesses were not involved in receiving or paying interest, yet the Prophet ﷺ cursed them equally — why?
Simply because they assisted in facilitating ribā.
❖ Practical Guidance for Salaried Employees
If your salary is transferred to a bank by necessity, then:
✔ You may receive it,
✖ But you should not leave it deposited unnecessarily in the bank.
✔ Withdraw it as soon as possible and do not use the account as a storage for your funds.
It is important for every believer to completely avoid any form of cooperation with interest-based systems, and to strive to distance themselves from the banking system as much as possible.
❖ Conclusion:
➤ Saving Accounts are clearly ḥarām due to involvement in ribā.
➤ Current Accounts, although interest-free, still constitute indirect support to an interest-based system and should be avoided unless necessary.
➤ If required by your employer (such as for salary transfers), only use it to receive the payment, and withdraw your funds promptly.
➤ Avoid storing or depositing your own savings in any conventional bank.
