01 / 24 · Practice · Cash
Saving a deposit without collecting a coupon.
The house starts as cash. Cash that earns AER is a small riba on the way to avoiding a large one. That trade is not clever.
The Mizan desk · 7 September 2026 · 7 min
A cash ISA at 4% is still interest. The wrapper is tax, not taharah. Al Rayan and Gatehouse expected-profit savings, wakala or murabaha, are how a deposit can wait without a coupon. The advertised rate is a forecast. If it is contractually guaranteed on cash with no asset, you are back in a loan.
Family money
Gifted deposits need a gift letter the provider will accept, and should be gifts, not family loans with a hug. See family discount in this issue. Bank of mum and dad that must be repaid with ‘a little extra’ is a kitchen riba.