Al-Bir Charity Organization opening a bank account

Q: The Islamic Al-Bir Fund at King Fahd University for Petrol and Minerals is considered one of the oldest and most active charitable organizations in the eastern region. Such a Fund undertakes different tasks since it has been founded in 1397 A. H. An example of these activities is collecting donations for the poor people amongst those who are related to the university, for fighters in the Cause of Allah and orphans of Afghanistan, and for Muslims in Africa. Due to the fact that the Fund does not have any stable resources, the administration thereof is unable on many occasions to fulfill many needs that are raised to it by different bodies along with some Muslims from outside the Kingdom. The Fund agreed (Part No. 13; Page No. 378) with the department of accounting to deduct specific sums of money from the salaries of the donators amongst those who are related to the university, according to their request, and transfer these sums to The Islamic Al-Bir Fund. Many benevolent people of the university approved the foregoing coordination that constituted important support to the resources of the Fund. Unfortunately, the accounting department at the university excused itself from continuing in providing this service. Since several years have already passed without the Fund being able to find a suitable alternative, some colleagues suggested that the Fund opens an account at the Riyadh Bank; the branch of the university that a big number of those who are related to the university deal with. It is suggested that the university deposits the salaries of its officers in the bank so that the bank will undertake the same task that was previously done by the accounting department. The purpose of such a suggestion is not to let the many benevolent people who like to support Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah) and poor people, miss any chance for doing this. It is important to clarify here that the Fund does not deposit any money in the bank through the account referred to above. The account is only a means to withdraw the concerned money on the spot regularly to be spent on charitable ways of disposition whenever this is possible.It is expected that the bank gets two benefits from such account: First: Availing from the good reputation of the Fund with regard to Muslims who live in the eastern region. Second: Getting usurious profits that may result in the presence of the Fund money in the account for compulsory circumstances during holidays and the like. Also, opening this account by the Fund may justify opening accounts in usurious banks by similar charitable organizations. (Part No. 13; Page No. 379) I hope that your Eminence will clarify the Shar`y (Islamic legal) ruling on the issue of opening an account in Riyadh Bank by the Fund for the purpose mentioned above. I would like to ascertain again that there is no alternative for achieving these kinds of transactions.