Posted: 07 Apr, 2026
In Islam, Riba refers to any guaranteed increase on a loan or deposit. In simple terms, it is the interest added by banks or lenders.
Islam forbids Riba because it creates injustice, benefiting one party without effort while placing burden on another.
The Qur’an strongly warns against it, and the Prophet ﷺ emphasised that both giving and receiving Riba are prohibited.
For Muslims today, this means:
But we can remove it from our wealth in a responsible and ethical way.
Whoever relieves a believer of a hardship, Allah will relieve him of a hardship on the Day of Resurrection.”
(Sahih Muslim)
Islam encourages fairness, compassion, and shared risk. Riba does the opposite, it guarantees profit without effort and often harms those who are vulnerable.
By avoiding Riba, we protect our wealth from impurity and uphold the values of justice and mercy that Islam teaches.
Although Riba is haram to use personally, scholars agree that it must be disposed of, and the best way to do that is by giving it as charity to those in need.
This is not considered Sadaqah or Zakat, and it carries no spiritual reward, but it does remove the impurity from your wealth and helps people facing hardship.
Many scholars, including those from major Islamic institutions, state that unwanted interest can be given to:
This ensures the money is not wasted and is used in a way that benefits others.
At Save An Orphan, donated interest is used strictly for non‑religious, essential welfare, such as:
We do not use Riba for religious projects such as Qur’ans, Mosques, or Dawah activities.
Your unwanted interest becomes a means of easing hardship for people who are suffering, while keeping your own wealth pure.
If you have interest sitting in your account, you can dispose of it safely and ethically through our dedicated appeal.
May Allah purify our wealth, protect us from what is harmful, and ease the hardship of those in need.
