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The key purpose of this study is to make awareness for faithful Muslims who are interested to invest in Islamic capital markets so as to enable them making right decision while considering investment in Sukuk over conventional interest-bearing bonds.

This study reviews past literature to analyse contemporary Sukuk risks and discusses several mechanisms to mitigate those risks.

The study shows that Sukuk can be good alternatives to conventional bonds. Sukuk structures need to be further developed to fulfil the Sharīʿah compliance requirements.

This study is exploratory in nature, and as such, it seeks to identify the risks related to Sukuk issuance. Given this limitation, it did not provide empirical evidences relating to any specific category of Sukuk risks.

An in-depth knowledge of Sukuk risks would help both academicians and investors understand the potential problems related to Sukuk structures and take precautions in the early stage to prevent causes of being defaulted or bankrupt.

The risks related to Sukuk have been explored in all potential roots. This study has offered some significant techniques to prevent the relevant risks for investors’ benefits. Information being provided throughout this study is expected to serve potential investors in Sukuk as a guide to make right decisions and enable them to minimise the risk to secure healthy returns on their investments.

Sharīʿah Secretariat plays a significant role in assisting Sharīʿah Supervisory Boards (SSBs) in their role in achieving Sharīʿah compliance in Islamic banks (IBs). The key objective of the study is to develop a organizational framework of the Sharīʿah Secretariat for the IBs in Bangladesh.

The study applied qualitative case study research. The data have been collected from 17 respondents through semi-structured interviews from IBs and professional experts in Bangladesh.

This study proposes a full-time Sharīʿah Secretariat and several departments for further enhancement of the Sharīʿah functions in IBs in Bangladesh. The framework proposed in this study covers the formation, functions, composition, qualification, reporting line, independence, remuneration and terms of appointment of the Sharīʿah Secretariat to set a uniform benchmark for all IBs in Bangladesh. It is anticipated that the outcomes of this research will assist to further strengthen the Sharīʿah governance of IBs in Bangladesh.

This research contributed to the national and global regulatory authorities and IBs by proposing a Sharīʿah Secretariat framework for the smooth functioning of the IBs in Bangladesh. The framework proposed in this study covers the formation, functions, composition, qualification, reporting line, independence, remuneration and terms of appointment of Sharīʿah Secretariat.

This study proposed a framework which is considered the first organizational framework so far for the Sharīʿah Secretariat of IBs in Bangladesh. IBs can apply this proposed framework to form their Sharīʿah Secretariat structure.

This paper aims to compare and contrast the concept of conventional futures contract from the Islamic law of contract perspectives. The underlying theory and practice of Islamic finance is based on the principles of Islamic law of contract. Although the necessity of derivative instruments such as the case with futures contract is essential for developments in Islamic finance, the permissibility of using these instruments still remains a debatable issue.

The paper discusses arguments for and against using derivative instruments as in futures, for example, in light with the Qur’an and Sunnah (the Prophet’s traditions), as well as the views of classical scholars, jurists and contemporary researchers. Arguments for and against are analysed systematically to derive a logical conclusion.

The study finds that majority scholars consider futures contracts as non-compliant with the Islamic law due to the fact that selling something that does not exist, deferment in the both counter values, gharar or ambiguity and excessive risk taking, pure speculation and sale of one debt for another.

The study focuses narrowly on conventional futures contract. Analysing other financial derivative contracts could be a future research endeavour.

The study has so far found the verdict of impermissibility of conventional futures contract in its current form as has been argued by majority scholars in the premise that they do not comply with the Islamic law. Policymakers and industry practitioners need to take this opinion of majority scholars while developing new Islamic financial derivatives.

To the best of the author's knowledge, the present research is the first attempt so far that explained the validity of conventional futures by analysing arguments of classical and contemporary jurists, scholars and researchers.

The study explores the existing Shariah audit practice of Islamic banks (IBs) in Bangladesh aiming at providing suggestions for improvements on the detected shortfalls in the relevant areas.

This research applied a qualitative method, and data were collected through conducting semi-structured interviews in Bangladesh. A total of 17 interviews were conducted for accomplishing the research objectives.

The study finds that there is no comprehensive Shariah audit manual in the current operation for IBs in Bangladesh, and as such, the requirements of their Shariah compliance remain a big question. Although the Shariah audit is conducted within IBs, and the Shariah audit officers or Shariah officers inspect necessary documents while conducting the Shariah audit, they only cover 10–20% of total investments and transactions. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that the Shariah auditing tasks should broadly cover at least 80% of the investment portfolios, documents and financial contracts and activities.

The findings of this research are expected to significantly contribute to the regulatory authorities concerned in Bangladesh and beyond, which include the suggestions that IBs can adopt to strengthen their Shariah governance system. The study also pinpoints that in the current system, Shariah auditors' roles are somehow limited in examining and checking the investment sides with a minimal portion (10–20%), for which they are unable to perform their responsibilities in a befitting manner to provide assurance services and overall Shariah compliance of IBs activities.

This study explores the current Shariah audit systems and provides recommendations to improve the existing systems which will be beneficial for Islamic banks of Bangladesh.

To the researchers' knowledge, perhaps this is the first research of its kind which seeks to explore the current Shariah audit practice in Bangladesh qualitatively, and it provides some practical suggestions for making the necessary developments of the current audit process of IBs. In addition, there are no empirical studies in the entire Emerald insight publishers and Scopus database regarding Shariah audit practices. The study contributes to the agency, stakeholder and legitimacy theories by exploring the Shariah audit of IBs.

Green Sukuk (GS) is a recent innovation that has the potential to serve humankind in sustainable development. However, its potential can only be achieved if the proceeds of GS are used for the priority areas needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to find out, using selected GS issued to determine whether the proceeds of GS are actually given to the needed areas.

This is qualitative research utilizing case studies where the “priorities given” areas are observed through information collected from the library that consists of primary and secondary sources, such as statutes, books, articles and internet sources, while “priorities needed to issue GS” areas are determined through information collected from Al-Quran and Hadiths to derive conclusions.

The outcome of this study reveals some untouched areas that needed immediate attention where GS can be implemented. This study recommends implementing GS for the plant, agriculture, forests, road, water, animal and others. One example in this regard is to create “forest sukuk,” which is a tool for financing forest preservation.

It is anticipated that, via the outcome of this research, GS issuance frameworks can be enhanced, especially in revising the areas in which Sukuk proceeds can be used, and it will provide guidance to the potential GS issuers to choose financing projects.

This study aims to investigate and propose the potential practice of hibah al-ʿumra as a Shari‘ah-compliant policy that would encompass the disbursement of death benefits and facilitate their smooth distribution among the projected beneficiaries of the family Takāful.

This study uses a qualitative approach. It conducts semi-structured interviews with different Takāful practitioners in Malaysia. This study also consulted a few Shari‘ah scholars regarding their opinions on the application of hibah al-ʿumra in disbursing family Takāful benefits. The thematic analysis is carried out to analyse qualitative data.

From both Shari‘ah and the relevant industry perspectives, the notion of hibah al-ʿumra has a great potential to disburse the family Takāful benefits to the Takāful participants or nominated beneficiaries. Given the conditional nature of hibah in Takāful, it is argued that there is a scope for imposing some conditions to make hibah al-ʿumra a life grant gift. This is expected to play a significant role in resolving the issues relating to the disbursement of family Takāful benefits among the beneficiaries, where it becomes irrevocable.

In the current practice of family Takāful, in the event of the recipient’s death or divorce, the application of absolute hibah results in the disbursement of Takāful benefits among undesirable beneficiaries. In contrast, in hibah al-ʿumra, it is expected that subject to a condition of withdrawal, its practice would help manage any unwanted situation if other potential beneficiaries are nominated upon signing the agreement at the outset.

This study is expected to contribute to help channel the family Takāful benefits into the desired beneficiaries being the proposed hibah al-ʿumra as a form of conditional hibah. Besides, this type of hiba can be treated as a solution in any adverse situation.

This study explores the practical application of the Shariah screening process and how it could be enhanced by converging the same with the ethical screening of stocks.

This study adopts a qualitative research methodology by combining the qualitative descriptive approach and content analysis.

The findings of this research suggest that there is scope to converge ethical screening of stocks with Shariah Screening as the lex loci applicable to Shariah screening is derived from Shariah, which considers ethics as part of determining its rules.

The data from this study reveal several practical applications, the ultimate goal of which is to help the policymakers and stakeholders understand the relevance of the Shariah screening of stocks and get a streamlined screening process, paving the way to enhance the same using ethical screening criteria to develop its function to become much more relevant irrespective of the denomination of faiths.

This is original research, which is expected to contribute to understanding the extent to which Shariah screening can be enhanced by integrating the ethical stock screening dimension to it.

As the manufacturing industry faces ever increasing pressure from retailers, consumers and legislators to raise standards of safety and package quality even higher, those involved can take comfort from the similarly rapid advances in technology which are providing many of the solutions to these new challenges.

Sukuk restructuring primarily aims at offering a debtor more latitude, in form and time, to settle his obligations. To meet Shari’ah requirements of transferring assets to Sukuk holders in asset-based Sukuk, the originator usually transfers the beneficial ownership to the issuer special purpose vehicles (SPV). However, in asset-backed Sukuk, the originator sells the underlying asset to an SPV and Sukuk holders do not have recourse to the originator in the event of defaults. Among some key unresolved Shari’ah issues in this regard is whether a change of contract necessitates entering a new contract. Other related issues that conflict with the tenets of Shari’ah are: (1) Sukuk structuring on tangible assets and debts; (2) receiving the full title by the Sukuk holders to the underlying assets in the event of default in case of securities that are publicized as asset backed; (3) Sukuk’s similarity with interest bearing conventional bonds: (a) capital guarantee by the originator or third party, (b) the originators’ promise to repurchase Sukuk at face value upon their redemption, and (c) providing internal and external credit enhancement. The Shari’ah-compliance of the above-mentioned clauses and structures of Sukuk remain debated among the Shari’ah scholars. Based on some specific cases, this study examines the Shari’ah viewpoint on sukuk restructuring and potential solutions to these unresolved Shari’ah issues in light of the past and recent declaration of some Sukuk defaults as non-Shari’ah complaints. Undoubtedly, resolution of these and other unresolved issues pertaining to Sukuk defaults can help strengthen the confidence of investors in Islamic capital market structures.