Gifts to current account holder in the bank

A current account in the bank is a loan, and the scholars are unanimously agreed that every loan that brings a benefit is riba. It is proven that some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) said that a gift given by the borrower to the lender is riba. 

Al-Bukhaari (3814) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: If a man owes you something and he gives you a measure of wheat or a measure of barley or a measure of fodder, do not take it, for it is riba. 

So this gift that the bank gives to the customer for holding a current account is riba. 

Shaykh Dr. Muhammad ibn Sa’ood al-‘Usaymi was asked about the ruling on such gifts. 

He said: 

If it is given because of having a current account then it is undoubtedly riba, because a current account is a loan, and it is not permissible for the account holder to benefit from it. But if it is an investment account there is nothing wrong with it. End quote.