Continuation of the question in tape 620. What is your opinion of Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s statement regarding riba (usury or interest) (that if he spends it on himself, it is forbidden, and if he leaves it in the bank, it is forbidden

The Shaykh : And my saying that it is ribawi (interest-based) is not a descriptive attribute, but rather to clarify the reality. I say this for fear that it may occur to some minds that there are non-ribawi banks! No, they are all ribawi, but perhaps, as it is said, some evil is less than some! For example, one bank takes five percent and another takes ten percent, and perhaps the first one does not put up an Islamic sign, while the one that takes less riba than the other has put up the Islamic sign, but he eats more riba than others.
In summary, it is not permissible for a specific person to benefit from this riba (usury or interest) if its owner repents, but if he does not repent, it is not permissible at all. It is not among the public facilities in which impure money, which is ribawi money, can be spent in mosques, because it is beyond doubt that every mosque built with money acquired through a forbidden means cannot be described as a mosque built on a foundation of piety. And if it is necessary to spend the ribawi money after its owner has repented in relation to the mosque, it can be said that it is spent on the restrooms. That is what can be said.

The questioner : May Allah reward you.