The Ruling on and How to Dispose of the Profits of Interest-Based Banks

Question:
I was on a mission outside the Kingdom, and I deposited my money in a bank. After two years, I was surprised to find that they had offered me a profit on this balance. Should I take it, or should I leave it for those disbelievers to benefit from it?

Answer:
As long as you did not stipulate it with them, you should take it and give it in charity. Your principal is yours, and the profit, which is riba (usury or interest), you should dispose of in channels of good: helping the poor and the mujahideen (those striving in the path of Allah), repairing roads and restrooms, and other things that benefit people.
Some scholars hold that there is no blame on you if you did not stipulate it, did not intend it, and did not collude with them regarding it; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , and based on the saying of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Prophet gave him some of the wealth, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, give it to someone poorer than me." He said: . So if you were not eager for it, did not intend it, and did not collude with them regarding it, the apparent meaning of the text is that it is permissible. However, since cooperation with banks is known to be riba, and a person knows that they give riba, and he did not say to them: "This is a deposit without riba"; then this money that he receives, he should not find it pleasing to himself, but rather he should spend it in channels of righteousness and good deeds; because they gave it to him as riba, as a return for placing it as a deposit, and this is a known custom among people, so it is as if it was stipulated. So if you take it and give it to channels of good, that is good.
As for agreeing with them on that, stipulating the profit, and saying: "I will give it to the people of good," no, this is not permissible.