Gifts to current account holder in the bank
I have a current account in a bank. Sometimes the bank sends me gifts such as perfumes and incense. The bank does this with the clients who have much money in it. What is the ruling on such gifts?.
Praise be to Allaah.
A current account in the bank is a loan, and the scholars are unanimously agreed that every loan that brings a benefit is riba. It is proven that some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) said that a gift given by the borrower to the lender is riba.
Al-Bukhaari (3814) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: If a man owes you something and he gives you a measure of wheat or a measure of barley or a measure of fodder, do not take it, for it is riba.
So this gift that the bank gives to the customer for holding a current account is riba.
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad ibn Sa’ood al-‘Usaymi was asked about the ruling on such gifts.
He said:
If it is given because of having a current account then it is undoubtedly riba, because a current account is a loan, and it is not permissible for the account holder to benefit from it. But if it is an investment account there is nothing wrong with it. End quote.