5th International Islamic Capital Market Forum (IICMF)

Risk Sharing: A Way Forward To Public Good
5th International Islamic Capital Market Forum (IICMF)
Kuala Lumpur on 10th November 2011

The IICMF is an effort by the SC to promote the Islamic capital market and serves as a capacity and knowledge building forum that addresses current issues, including strengths, challenges, risks and opportunities in the Islamic finance industry. The 5th IICMF will focus on a risk-sharing system as an alternative to the present fractional banking system from the perspectives of the economics, legal and Shariah.

The details on the event can also be viewed at http://www.sc.com.my/eng/html/icm/iicmf/iicmf_2011.pdf

5th International Islamic Capital Market Forum (IICMF)

Islamic Finance and Sharia Compliant Transactions in India and Abroad: A Comparative Study

Islamic Finance and Sharia Compliant Transactions in India and Abroad: A Comparative Study
Tanay Nandi, National Law University Jodhpur (NLUJ)
Satabdee Mohanty, Gujarat National Law University
July 2010

Abstract: "One of the fundamental principles governing Islamic financing is that the receipt of interest is prohibited. This is categorically stated in the Qur'an: "Those who devour Riba (interest) will not stand except as stands one whom the devil hath driven to madness by (his) touch" (II:275) In an investment environment, Riba is interpreted as any return on money that is predetermined in amount and therefore includes modern day interest-based financing. Islamic principles allow instead for the replacement of interest by a return that is dependent upon the profitability of the underlying investment.


In addition, Islamic principles permit the financing of sales by means of deferred payment at a premium to the spot price. Modern scholars have also encouraged asset-backed finance where the return to the financier is linked either to the provision of an asset to the client or to the acquisition of an asset from the client. In all of the above a clear linkage emerges between the earning of returns and the assumption of risk.


But, in India it is in the embryonic stage. However, there are some non-banking cooperative societies being operated across the India that follows the fundament finance law. But, still no Islamic banks as per Reserve Bank of India’s norms have been settled in India.


This paper starts off by examining the banking structures with an Islamic finance window in other countries such as UK, Malaysia, Hong Kong etc, and goes on to examine the causes for its negligible presence in India and ends with emphasizing the need for a greater participation from the bankers in India in support of Islamic Finance."

Islamic Finance and Sharia Compliant Transactions in India and Abroad: A Comparative Study

Grooming Gen Y for Islamic Finance - Tweeting Islamic Finance

Grooming Gen Y for Islamic Finance
Tweeting Islamic Finance
By Rushdi Siddiqui
Global Head, Islamic Finance & OIC Countries, Thomson Reuters

Unless Islamic finance is made relevant to young people, it will struggle to gain popularity and grow in strength in the future.

Read the full article here.

Grooming Gen Y for Islamic Finance - Tweeting Islamic Finance

Dispute Resolution in Islamic Banking and Finance: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

Dispute Resolution in Islamic Banking and Finance: Current Trends and Future Perspectives
Umar Aimhanosi Oseni
International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM)
August 2009

Abstract: "The current legal framework for dispute resolution in the Islamic banking and finance industry in developing countries may not adequately serve the purpose for which the financial institutions were set up. Meanwhile, the Islamic legal framework for dispute resolution has established rules for financial disputes as recognized under the classical law. This paper examines the current practice of dispute resolution in Islamic banking and finance with case analyses of selected Muslim countries. From our findings, disputes emanating from this industry are heard by the conventional courts and tribunals which, in most cases, do not have the requisite expertise. It is argued that since Islamic banking and finance disputes are sui generis, the panel of judges must be composed of experts in the field. The paper concludes that a legal framework should be established for dispute resolution in countries where Islamic banking and finance is being implemented. For a proper Islamization of the banking and finance sector, disputes arising from this sector should not be subjected to the convoluted conventional rules. The paper proposes a legal framework for dispute resolution in the Muslim world based on hybrid processes of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) recognized in Islamic law."

Dispute Resolution in Islamic Banking and Finance: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

Taking Takaful to the next level - The Malaysian Experience

A new publication, Special Report: Taking Takaful to the next level - The Malaysian Experience, is available on RAM's website.

Please click here to view the publication.

Taking Takaful to the next level - The Malaysian Experience

Muslim BRIC has arrived

Muslim BRIC has arrived
By Rushdi Siddiqui
Business Times
April 2011

"On April 4, Thomson Reuters, along with their partners, IdealRatings, and World Halal Forum launched the SAMI Halal Food index. The SAMI Halal food index stands for Socially Acceptable Market Investments.

The index is about the beginning of convergence between Islamic finance and Halal industry. But, more importantly, its about Muslim country inward investing as Muslims, presently as 'consumer investors' in these halal food firms become shareholder investors.

Now, within the 'BRIC context,' SAMI stands for Saudi, Ankara, Malaysia and Indonesia. Without getting into the multitude of economic and financial numbers for these four countries on GDP growth, inflation, foreign direct investment, exports, debt capital market development, population growth patterns, and so on, we have a compelling established emerging market that happens to be Muslim countries on the old Silk Road."

Read more: Muslim BRIC has arrived

Muslim BRIC has arrived

The Relationship between Jakarta Islamic Index and Other Selected Markets

The Relationship between Jakarta Islamic Index and Other Selected Markets: Evidence from Impulse Response Function
Irfan Syauqi Beik, Lecturer and Researcher at the Department of Economics, Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia
Wisnu Wardhana, Postgraduate Student of the International Islamic University Malaysia, Researcher of ISEFID (Islamic Economic Forum for Indonesia’s Development)

Abstract: "The financial crisis, which was triggered by the subprime credit in the United States, is probably the most severe crisis for the last century. It has affected many countries in the world including Indonesia. In spite of worsening financial market in recent months, Indonesia has a great potency to be a hub for international Islamic finance. This paper attempts to analyze Indonesia’s Islamic Stock Market, namely Jakarta Islamic Index (JII), in relation with other Islamic as well as conventional stock markets in Malaysia and the United States, especially during the subprime crisis which started in early 2006. This research uses daily closing data of stock price indices obtained from Bloomberg database from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2008. It employs time series analysis of cointegration and impulse response function. The results show that there is no long run relationship between Indonesia’s capital market and both Malaysia and the US markets. For investors, the results will give them choices for their investment portfolio. Meanwhile, in Indonesia’s perspective, this should be an opportunity for promoting its capital market as the potential destination for profitable investment. In the short run, the JII is significantly affected by the shock or disturbance taking place in the other markets. However, the results also indicate that the JII is the least volatile and more stable market."

The Relationship between Jakarta Islamic Index and Other Selected Markets

Islamic Hedging: Gambling or Risk Management?

Islamic Hedging: Gambling or Risk Management?
Saadiah Mohamad, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
Ali Tabatabaei, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
August 2008

Abstract: "Although there is a lack of consensus regarding derivatives and the development of sharia-compliant funds to mimic hedge funds in order to tap the global surplus liquidity especially the Gulf petrodollar, sharia scholars are generally agreeable that hedging is permissible and necessary as a risk management tool. However, there is still considerable debate regarding the kind of instruments that could be sharia-compliant. This paper looks at the main forms of hedging and examines the debate surrounding the use of derivatives in Islamic financial markets. The paper then looks at alternatives for sharia-compliant hedging mechanisms and in particular examines an Islamic financial derivative of Bai Salam that can mimic a short sale in a conventional option, but with potential for becoming a more superior risk management tool."

Islamic Hedging: Gambling or Risk Management?

ISRA Journal - Volume 2

ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance
Volume 2, Issue 2
December 2010

Volume 2 of the ISRA journal is now available online, you can find the table of contents here and download individual articles directly from their site, these include:

Academic Articles:

Juristic Analysis of the Profit Distribution Method
New Musharakah Model in Managing Islamic Investment
An Overview of Shari'ah Issues Regarding the Application of the Islamic Letter of Credit Practice in Malaysia
Case Studies of the Practice of Nomination and Hibah by Malaysian Takaful Operators
An Empirical Investigation into SMEs’ Perceptions of Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC) Malaysia Berhad: A Case Study of the Islamic Guarantee Scheme in Malaysia

Practitioner's Articles:

Islamic Liquidity Management – The Malaysian Experience

Research Notes:

Shari'ah Parameters of Hiyal in Islamic Finance
Analytical Study of the Interaction Between Fatawa, Shari'ah Rulings, Resolutions and Conventional Laws in Contemporary Islamic Finance in Malaysia with Cross Reference to the Practices in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the Sudan
Capital Requirements and Banking Behaviour for Islamic Banks

ISRA Journal - Volume 2

Opalesque Islamic Finance Intelligence XIV

Welcome to the fourteenth edition of OIFI (download PDF version), our last edition for the year, and as we look back at 2010 we sincerely thank everyone that has supported us along the way. The industry itself has much to look forward to in the coming years and this is the recurring theme for this edition. Our Editorial Section tackles the evolving role of AAOIFI as it pertains to governance and regulation of Shariah scholars. Our Featured Resource is a compilation of some the most noteworthy discussions from our online forum.

Mohammed Khnifer takes on our Featured Structure section with an extensive analysis on the implementation of Islamic deposit insurance, with particular attention given to Malaysia's IDI framework. This is promptly followed by Lex Islamicus where ISRA'a Hakimah Yaacob provides a fresh approach to the standardisation debate, including novel references to international conventions for the harmonisation of private law and coordination of civil and commercial matters.

The Industry Snapshot welcomes back Mobasher Zein as he continues his analysis of an Islamic commodity-backed currency with further attention given to the monetary framework that would be required to make this happen. Last but certainly not least Toby Birch shares his views on our Opinion Column with regards to the underserved retail market in Islamic finance and what are some of the obstacles that need to be addressed in coming years.

Always glad to hear from our readers and welcoming all comments & suggestions and please remember that you can visit our online archive (see reference link) for access to our ever-growing databank of Opalesque Islamic Finance Briefing as well as all of the back issues of Opalesque Islamic Finance Intelligence.

Download the complete issue of Opalesque Islamic Finance Intelligence here.

Alternatively you can read each article separately in the OIFI Archive:
Editor’s Note: AAOIFI's Perestroika
Featured Resource: Linkedin Discussions - Highlights of 2010
Featured Structure: Towards a Universal Islamic Deposit Insurance System
Lex Islamicus: Standardisation v Harmonisation: Towards Recognition?
Industry Snapshot: Islamic Dinar Revisited
Opinion Column: Ready for Retail?

Opalesque Islamic Finance Intelligence XIV

ICM Quarterly Bulletin - September 2010

Malaysian ICM Quarterly Bulletin
Securities Commission Malaysia
September 2010 Vol. 5 No. 3

The latest issue of the Malaysian ICM quarterly bulletin is here, published by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). Among the featured content you will find a couple of interesting articles, one on the ethics of disagreements and another on the concept of paying for a promise to buy/lease an asset (hamish jiddiyyah) in the context of an ijarah contract. This and previous issues of the bulletin are available on their online archive here.

ICM Quarterly Bulletin - September 2010

Islamic Finance: A Therapy for Healing the Global Financial Crisis

Islamic Finance: A Therapy for Healing the Global Financial Crisis
Miranti Kartika Dewi, Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia
Ilham Reza Ferdian, International Islamic University Malaysia

Abstract: "Global financial crisis which hit many too-big-too-fail countries and financial institution in the world was mainly made happen by debt securitization. Derivative instruments resulted from this process obviously were not backed by real asset. When any party came up with investment on these instruments, the investment would never support the development of real sector economy, instead, it just worsen the situation by creating bubble economic. This condition becomes more harmful when the securitized debts default. This practice is strictly forbidden according to Islamic finance principles. It has inherent risk management tools to prevent the crisis. This paper attempts to examine the root of the financial crisis and find the solution from Islamic finance principles."

Islamic Finance: A Therapy for Healing the Global Financial Crisis

Islamic Microfinance: A New Approach to Help Small Enterprises

Islamic Microfinance: A New Approach to Help Small Enterprises
ABAC Malaysia
August 2008

"It is estimated that about 35% of the world’s 1.2 billion Muslims are poor, thus creating a large market for microfinance. However, there are very few Islamic MFIs and Islamic banks involved in microfinance. Many MFIs are operating under the conventional system, while Islamic banks tend to favor larger firms."

Islamic Microfinance: A New Approach to Help Small Enterprises

Sukuk Focus - RAM

Sukuk Focus
Malaysian Islamic Capital Market: An intelligent positioning in an evolving industry

RAM Holdings
November 2010

In this issue:

Metamorphosis of the Malaysian Islamic Capital Market
Wakalah-Based Sukuk via Commodity Murabahah - the Latest Innovation
Market Statistics

Please note a free registration is required to access the document.

Sukuk Focus - RAM

Incentive Compatible Contracts: The Islamic View

Incentive Compatible Contracts: The Islamic View (A Discussion Paper)
Issam Tlemsani
Robin Matthews
Kingston Business School
2001

Abstract: "The twentieth century has witnessed resurgence in the observance of fundamental Islamic practices around the world. The Islaimization of the financial sectors of many Muslims countries was a natural consequence of this resurgence, and the degree of Islamization varied dramatically across countries with Muslims populations. The Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan are at one extreme, where the entire financial sector has been made officially Islamic according to their central banks. Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and some other Arabs countries have developed a hybrid financial system where Islamic banks coexist with regular financial institutions, and the monetary authorities of those countries regulate both types of financial institutions. This increase in the practice of Islamic banking transformed Islamic economics from a sub-field of Islamic jurisprudence and comparatives systems into one which interacts positively with mainstream economics theory. In this paper we present a basic theoretical understanding of the concept of Riba/interest, the key principle of Islamic banking. We explore the basic principles of Islamic banking, the tools of interest free banking and how Islamic banking can be implemented in a hyper-competitive environment."

Incentive Compatible Contracts: The Islamic View

Islamic Banking and Finance: Between Ideals and Realities

Islamic Banking and Finance: Between Ideals and Realities
Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman
Associate Professor, Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences,
International Islamic University Malaysia, and formerly Director of IIUM
Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance
2007

Islamic Banking and Finance: Between Ideals and Realities

Moral Behavior in Stock Markets: Islamic Finance and Socially Responsible Investment

Moral Behavior in Stock Markets: Islamic Finance and Socially Responsible Investment
Aaron Z. Pitluck
Illinois State University - Sociology
March 2008

Abstract: "This paper addresses the puzzle of why the inclusion of non-financial social justice or religious criteria by professional fund managers has been so popular in Malaysia and yet has had to date relatively little influence in the United States stock market. Drawing from over 125 ethnographic interviews with financial workers in Malaysia, this paper argues that moral investment behavior in stock markets is shaped primarily by 'market structure' rather than by 'mandates.' In both countries mandates are a weak form of social control of fund manager's behavior. This is because mandates are not principal-agent contracts but are primarily marketing exercises and cultural tools. Social investing in the United States is weak because it relies solely on mandates to communicate clients' ethical desires to their fund managers. Islamic and Ethical finance in Malaysia is strong because Islamic social movements have reformed the Malaysian stock market's structure. Specifically, a uniform interpretation of Islamic investing was institutionalized with the creation of a nearly-unique quasi-governmental body. As a consequence, Islamic principles systematically influence the behavior of corporations listed in Malaysia, at present narrowly, but with the potential for wider influence in future. The paper closes with implications for social investment in the United States."

Moral Behavior in Stock Markets: Islamic Finance and Socially Responsible Investment

ICM Quarterly Bulletin - June 2010

Malaysian ICM Quarterly Bulletin
Securities Commission Malaysia
June 2010 Vol. 5 No. 2

The latest issue of the Malaysian ICM quarterly bulletin is here, published by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC).  Among the featured content you will find an interesting article on the Social Dimension of Islamic Finance as well as a piece on Sukuk best practices. This and previous issues of the bulletin are available on their online archive here.

ICM Quarterly Bulletin - June 2010

Islamic Finance: Growth and Prospects in Singapore

Islamic Finance: Growth and Prospects in Singapore
Habibullah Khan & Omar K. M. R. Bashar
U21Global
June 2008

Abstract: "Islamic finance has been growing rapidly since its launch in the 1970s. The major market for this industry is typically the Middle East and it is gaining popularity in the UK, USA and Southeast Asia. Malaysia is the leading Islamic finance industry in Southeast Asia while its neighbor Singapore is relatively a new market player. Singapore revised its regulatory framework and tax structure and gradually introduced various Shariah-compliant financial products in the last couple of years. This paper argues that despite having small domestic market and competition from Malaysia, Singapore can still position itself in a niche market in the region. Through its strategy of integrated financial and economic development, Singapore can create new opportunities for Islamic finance and related financial products in the region."

Islamic Finance: Growth and Prospects in Singapore

Case Study: Pilgrims Management & Fund Board

Towards Islamic Banking: A Case Study of Pilgrims Management & Fund Board, Malaysia
Khalid Rahman
Director Institute of Policy Studies
Islamabad, Pakistan

"Experiments have been undertaken all over the world and may prove helpful in overcoming our inhibition after removing unjustified apprehensions. The task has become all the more important particularly in the context of recent Supreme Court Shariat Appellate Bench Judgment since this will help make a whole hearted beginning. This, however, requires studying in detail the institutions claiming to be operating on interest-free basis, focusing particularly on the level of success they have achieved, compatibility with Shari’ah in their working and impact on society."

Case Study: Pilgrims Management & Fund Board