Bank Interest

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. I was wondering on the Islamic ruling of opening a bank account. Must it be in an Islamic bank or not? What about any interest I receive in my account: should I simply discard it or can I use it for personal use or should I spend it on more needy Muslims? Jazakum Allah khayran.

As-salamu `alaykum. Is it appropriate to use credit cards?

What is the Islamic ruling regarding bank interests?

I am living in United States and I have a bank account. I don't take interest but just I am thinking why should I leave that interest money with bank, why not I use it to give Sadqah to poor people. Is it permissible to use bank interest in Sadqah?

Assalaamu'alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuh,Dear Scholars,May Allah bless you,My name is Muhammar Khamdevi, came from Indonesia . I'm right now living for a temporary reason as a Student in Germany . I also active in a Indonesian Muslim's Community Organization.We, Indonesian Muslims, in such along time have a dilemma to do our duties as a Muslim in this country,especially Zakat.We were usually paying our Zakat in a conventional way in Indonesia . We usually counted the amount of Zakat from the measurement of rice (class A, the expensive rice) in cash, especially Zakat Fitrah (1 sa' = 2.520 kilograms of rice), Zakat of Income/ Salary (Nisab from Qiyas of Zakat of Agriculture/ Plants = 524 kilograms of rice, payed every month), Fidyah ( 0.675 kilograms of rice), and Kaffarah ( 40.5 kilograms of rice). It much base on Syekh Yusuf Al Qardhaway's Fatwas of Zakat.But we are right now in other country. The germansalways consume a vary of common foods, some of beans, rice, wheat, potato, etc. But the muslim immigrants (almost from Turkey) always consume bread and rice.especially by Indonesian Muslim, we consume almost rice in general.Our embassy does not have a branch, that manages a religious problem, because that is so personal. Well, we have such a secular government.The Islamic Center in Koln-Germany always announceevery year the ammount of Zakat Fitrah in cash. Theamount came from the assumtion, the ability of consuming from a person in one day and one night. But sadly, there is no information about how much the Fidyah and Kaffarah is. They also said, that the Nisab from Zakat of Income/ Salary came from Qiyas of Zakat of Gold (85 grams of Gold) and the zakat must be payedevery year.Is it okay, that we don't follow that? Because it's very different from our custom way (see top).Our organization have made some survey about the price of rice in every market in Germany . And we foundthat, the price from the expensive rice is seven timeexpensiver than the cheap ones. And this expensive one is very rare to consume. In a future we have plan to make the next survey, which rice, that indonesian muslim almost consume, and which one is theexpensiver, that indonesian muslim almost consume. Butthe question is, is it possible that we have such a power to make this such decission? We don't have any 'ulamas/ mufti or scholars to ask Fatwa for, and weare justan ordinary student and residence in Germany , that don't have enough islamic thoughts. Is it possible,that we form such a Majlis Syura for Zakat with that conditions?Another question: Is it ok, that our organization also organize the bank interest (riba) and distribute this fund to Indonesia, especially for new infrastructure caused by earth quake and tsunami, and for medical research (such as:aIDS, Cancer, etc,) ? Cause in Germany, there is no Islamic/ Shariah Bank, and we don't have any clue how distribute this money in this Land.Would you please help us? To let us out from this very urgent dilemma? It would be kind, that we have theanswer a soon as possible. Because we have to executethat very soon.Jazakumullah Khayran Katsiran,Wassalaamu'alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakaatuhMuhammar Khamdevi