Ruling on receiving salaries from interest-based banks

Question: Regarding riba (usury or interest), there are many questions, including the hesitation about receiving salaries from interest-based banks. What is your opinion, Your Eminence?

Answer: There is no harm in this. Receiving salaries through banks does not cause harm, because the employee did not place the money there for the purpose of riba (usury or interest); rather, it was placed there by the authorities to keep it safe until it is collected. Likewise, transferring money from one country to another, or from one state to another, via banks is permissible due to the pressing need for it. What is to be avoided is using riba (usury or interest) or assisting in it. However, keeping one’s money in a bank out of necessity because there is no other place to keep it, or for other reasons, without involving riba (usury or interest), or transferring it via a bank, is permissible, if Allah wills, and there is no harm in it. But if the state were to place salaries in non-bank institutions, that would be safer and better.