Riba refers to any guaranteed contractual surplus on a money loan. Concretely: bank interest (savings accounts, interest-bearing accounts), conventional loans (mortgage, auto, consumer), credit cards with paid installment plans, overdraft fees, and most government bonds. Quran 2:275: "Allah has permitted trade and forbidden riba." 100% halal alternatives exist for every need.

Islam recommends the 4-envelope rule: 50% essential needs (housing, groceries, bills), 20% halal savings and zakat (2.5%/year on dormant savings exceeding the nisab), 20% goals (hajj, marriage, projects), 10% sadaqa and lawful pleasures. The Prophet said: "Moderation in spending is half of one's livelihood." (Bayhaqi)

Yes, three realistic paths in 2026: 1) Real estate Murabaha via Chaabi Bank or 570easi: the bank buys the property and resells it to you with a fixed margin (no interest). Total cost comparable to a conventional loan but 100% halal. 2) Ijara (lease-to-own) offered by some specialized brokers such as Hejaz Financial. 3) Accelerated savings and cash purchase over 7 to 12 years. To avoid: conventional real estate funds (SCPI), interest-bearing savings plans, family loans with disguised interest.

Four options verified by AAOIFI: 1) Non interest-bearing current account. 2) Physical gold (100g bar through certified dealers): zakat 2.5%/year if more than 85g held for 1 year, average performance of 7 to 9%/year over 20 years. 3) Sharia-compliant real estate funds (Ethis, Wahed Invest), yield of 4 to 6%/year. 4) Halal-screened stocks via Wahed or the Dow Jones Islamic Index filter.

Takaful is a mutual solidarity scheme: members contribute to a common pool, compensate those who suffer a loss, and share the surplus. No interest (riba), no excessive uncertainty (gharar), no speculation (maysir). In 2026: Noorassur (auto, home, health), Insaaf Assurances. Since auto insurance is legally required, scholars permit conventional insurance at the legal minimum when takaful is unavailable.

It depends on the case. If the "0%" is truly 0% and the listed price is identical whether paid in cash or in installments (a genuine commercial offer from the dealer), then it is halal. But if the cash price is 5 to 10% lower than the "0% over 36 months" price, then the 0% hides a riba. Always ask for the cash price during negotiation: if there's a gap, decline the credit or pay cash.

Zakat = 2.5% multiplied by (savings plus gold or silver plus stocks plus recoverable receivables) held for 1 hijri lunar year and exceeding the nisab (85g of gold, around €5,500 in 2026). Steps: 1) Choose a fixed hijri date (1st of Ramadan). 2) Add up accounts, gold, stocks. 3) Subtract immediate debts. 4) If the total exceeds €5,500, multiply by 0.025. Example: €12,000 in savings = €300 of zakat per year.