The Islamic Bank. Does changing names change the ruling? Is refining words among the objectives of the Shari'ah?

The Shaykh : The question is too broad regarding anything other than the Islamic Bank, let alone the Islamic Bank itself, because transactions are not all treated the same way, nor are they given a single ruling. However, in reality, I was asked this question once, so I gave a brief answer. I said: When I was asked, "What is your opinion of the Islamic Bank?" I asked the questioner, "What is your opinion of the Islamic society?" He fell silent. The Islamic Bank stems from this society, so what do we want to say about it?!

The questioner : ... My brother works in an Islamic Bank ... and this is lawful profit ... in the Islamic way.

The Shaykh : This has become a problem. I mean, unfortunately, names have become mere labels for da'wah, nothing more. When you look for the truth, you find deviations that have hidden themselves behind the name of Islam. And this, unfortunately, or rather, I don't say this is exactly like it, but the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about it in some authentic hadiths. For example, when he said: They call it by a name other than its true name. In my understanding and jurisprudence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not say this specifically, meaning that the naming only relates to khamr (intoxicants). Rather, this statement came from the Prophet (peace be upon him) by way of illustration, meaning giving an example of what will happen in this Ummah. Otherwise, there are many, and very many, things whose names have been changed while their realities remain as they are. For example, forbidden entertainment is called "fine arts" today, which is a more beautiful name. Fine arts! Does any Muslim deny fine arts? Of course not. But if you look closely, you will find that among the fine arts is European-style dancing, men and women. This is part of the fine arts. And as they say, "Arabic: Why are you taking us so far?"
I was asked about the Islamic Bank, and we said: Other banks are not given a consistent good or beautiful ruling; rather, each issue is given its own ruling. So today, who names the usurious increase, whose prohibition is certain? Who calls it riba (usury or interest)? They all call it "interest." Interest! Who denies interest? No one. So this is like that: they call it by a name other than its true name. Because when you call it riba, and riba has a bad concept in the minds of Muslims, their souls may be disgusted by this name, and they may perhaps turn away from engaging in this forbidden matter. But by cooling it down a bit, even just in word and name, and calling it "interest," the soul digests it at that time.
And this is, in reality, part of the high etiquette of Islam, which the majority of Islamic preachers, let alone others, have overlooked. I mean that many Muslims know that Islam is concerned with reforming hearts, but Islam is also concerned with something else that most Muslims today overlook: it is concerned with reforming words and appearances, and not only, as many of the heedless say, "My brother, the point is what is in the heart." Even the one who does not pray: why, my brother, do you not pray? He tells you: "The point is what is in the heart; I deal with people without deceiving them or betraying them, and so on. Look so-and-so prays, fasts, and performs Hajj, and what does he do?" Islam also came to reform appearances and words. This is the point that many preachers have overlooked, as I said earlier, let alone the general Muslims. For example, and this is from the wonders of the Prophetic hadiths: If you opened the root "laqasa" in all the books of language, you would find that "laqasa" equals "khabatha" (became impure). But the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: But what does he say? What is the difference? The difference is only in the word. That one (khabatha) is known for its impurity, but this one (laqasa) is gentle. So it is as if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wants to tell the Muslim: if you want to speak about yourself and you feel impurity in it, do not express this feeling with the word "impure," but express it with a word that means the same as "impure" but is gentler than the word "impure." So say: "My soul has become laqasa," meaning my soul is not good, it is not pleased, and so on. This leads us to issues much more important than what relates to the Muslim person when he wants to speak about himself. So instead of saying "my soul became impure," he says "laqasa." The topic moves to the Divine Self, and this topic, of course, has levels and degrees.