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The purpose of this paper is to examine the adoption of Islamic finance products (murabaha, musharakah, mudarabah, salam, ijara, istisna and Qard Hassan) by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cameroon, a non-Islamic Sub-Saharan African country.

It used primary data collected from a cross-section of 1,358 SMEs in eight regions of Cameroon using self-administered structured questionnaires. To facilitate the analyses and interpretation, these products are grouped into four groups based on certain characteristics. A multivariate probit model is estimated to take into account the interaction between these different Islamic finance products.

This study revealed that the desire to comply with Sharia law, awareness, attitude and intention were critical determinants of the decision to adopt Islamic finance products by Cameroonian SMEs. The least influential factors were perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, enterprise characteristics (size, age and location) and socio-demographic characteristics of the entrepreneur (gender, age and marital status). The extension of the multivariate approach permitted us to compute for predicted probabilities which revealed that there exists a synergy effect between the different Islamic finance products. That is, Cameroonian SMEs combine different Islamic finance products at the same time based on their needs. This is especially the case between the partnership-based products (musharakah and mudarabah) and manufacture/rent products (istisna and ijara).

Policymakers are encouraged to develop stakeholder-oriented strategies to promote effective consumer education in Islamic finance products which will boost awareness. Also, Islamic finance institutions should endeavor to develop innovative financial products that are Sharia-compliant and economically beneficial to the individual and business needs of SMEs. Moreover, policymakers and management of Islamic finance institutions should ensure the putting in place of effective governance structures to guide Islamic finance operations. Finally, policymakers should endeavor to take into account the possible synergy between the different Islamic finance products in their quest to develop this activity.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that analyses the adoption of different Islamic finance products while taking into account the possible synergy that exists between these products.

Given the scarcity of studies regarding religious food as a destination attraction and limited research on tourist halal food experience, this study aims to explore and compare halal food experience perceived by Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic destination.

This study was carried out in a halal food street in Yuanjia Village, China. It used a qualitative approach and interviewed 16 Muslim tourists and 20 non-Muslim tourists.

Six themes and 18 attributes of halal food experience were identified. The findings revealed that Muslim tourists saw the reassuring options and religious value of halal food as important experiences. By contrast, the experiences of abundant choices, value for money, sensory pleasure and unique charm were frequently mentioned by non-Muslim tourists. The nature of halal food, the context of China (i.e. Chinese halal food culture) and the feature of research site (i.e. food operation of Yuanjia Village) work together to create such experiences.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore and compare halal food experiences of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic country (China). This study suggests that halal food could be an appealing destination attraction, even in non-Islamic destinations. Thus, this study contributes to a better understanding of the halal food experiences and assists destination marketers in promoting halal food.

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic literature review of research conducted in the economic Islamicity (EI) index field, in terms of non-Islamic countries.

This study thoroughly assessed the literature on the EI index by conducting extensive systematic literature reviews.

The critical analysis of these indices shows the need for amendments, which can be achieved by improving the Islamicity index seen in non-Islamic countries. This step will help validate the Islamicity index assessment and help Islamic countries develop and strengthen Islamic economic values.

As the first comprehensive literature review in the Islamicity indices domain to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research may contribute for Islamic country to increase the Islamicity index in terms of economic issue for future research themes.

Thailand's Halal-friendly destination attributes are the focus of this study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Halal-friendly attributes on tourists’ intentions to visit non-Muslim destinations. Also, this study analyzes the impact of Muslim tourists’ attitudes on Halal-friendly characteristics and their intentions to visit countries that are not predominantly Muslim.

To accomplish objectives, a survey was used to gather the data by using a convenient non-probability sampling approach from Muslim-majority countries Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. A proposed structural equation model was used to assess the influence of the variables above on the outcomes.

This study found that the factors of Halal-friendly facilities and Halal-friendly service positively influence the visiting intentions of Indonesian, Malaysian and Brunei Muslim tourists. In contrast, the social environment, food/beverages and local and staff attributes do not influence visit intentions. The tourist attitude mediates the relationship between the intention to visit and three dimensions of Halal-friendly attributes (social environment; food/beverage; and locals and staff).

This study did not investigate different kinds of dimensions for Muslim tourists visiting Thailand, such as preferences regarding personnel and families, cultural and artistic characteristics and the attributes of events and festivals. These dimensions cover a wide range of Halal-friendly tourism aspects. Second, this research did not investigate the associations between the demographics of Muslim tourists (age, gender, education level and income level) and the model variables. Such an investigation could have helped business developers and marketers in Thailand develop an efficient strategy for target marketing. The results of this research provide fundamental guidance and information for tourist enterprises in non-Muslim nations on how to enhance Muslim travellers’ images and intentions. However, because of the influence of other variables, locations in various areas of Asia, Africa and Europe may exhibit somewhat different effective qualities (e.g. environment, culture, history, etc.).

This study sheds light on the factors contributing to visitor satisfaction in the context of a desire to go to a Halal-friendly site. This insight from this study can be adapted and applied by tourism managers and marketing executives to build or develop the Halal-friendly destination image of a tourist destination (Phuket) in the right dimensions. It is a possibility that the image of a tourist attraction has a tight relationship with travelers’ perceived value, contentment and loyalty (Hsu et al., 2008; Khunrattanaporn, 2013; Pike, 2008). Battour et al. (2022) found that Muslims’ behavioural intentions are affected by the Halal attributes of the destination. It indicates that Halal attributes are very important for Muslim tourists when selecting a destination. To attract Muslim tourists, this study can be used for strategies and planning.

This study sheds fresh light on the concept of Halal tourism. It examines the perspective of Muslim tourists using Halal goods or services in anticipation of a future trip to a non-Muslim location (Phuket). This study is crucial for destination tourism operators, managers and marketers who lead Muslim tourists to non-Muslim destinations.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Implementation and Disclosure in the Banking Sector: the case of banks with Islamic identity in Syria. This study aims to explore Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure (CSRD) in Syrian banks which have an Islamic identity, investigating their motivations when implementing and disclosing CSR and the challenges banks have faced. This study employed content analysis to extract knowledge from 33 annual reports published by three banks which have Islamic identity in Syria over the period 2008–2020. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with five participants who are aware of CSRD policy in the banks in the sample, in order to gain a fuller understanding of their motivations in relation to CSR and any challenges they faced. This article draws on the overlap between Stakeholder and Legitimacy theories in order to explain the motivations of the banks in question. The study found that banks which have an Islamic identity increased their levels of CSR implementation during the conflict crisis but were not publishing details on these activities because of a concern regarding the Islamic modesty around charitable actions and to avoid upsetting the sensibility of beneficiaries. Interviewees commented that in the time of conflict crisis, many Syrians needed relief and support. Because of this, banks in our research sample decided to take responsibility to lessen the negative impact of the conflict crisis on the Syrian community. In addition, the analysis revealed that banks engaged with Environment and Human Right issues after 2013 because they wanted to fulfil the requirements of their national partners.

Research on Islamic entrepreneurship (IE) is growing but with difficulty. After reviewing six IE models, several problematic inconsistencies were identified, which can be categorized into three: sporadic objectives of IE, diverging core components and inconsistent levels of analysis. This study aims to articulate a synthesized IE model.

An Islamic critical realist synthesis is used by combining six IE models and situating them within an Islamic system of governance. Specifically, the Islamic governance conceptual matrix is used to offer an objective template.

A synthesized model of IE within an Islamic system of governance comprises the following: the objectives of IE are not to be confined to only financial sustainability, but to achieve all five Maqās.id of the Sharī’ah (i.e. preservation and promotion of faith, life, intellect, posterity and wealth); models of IE should cover the individual, group, organizational, societal, state and international levels for comprehensiveness; tawhīd is crucial to distinguish between IE and conventional entrepreneurship; halal IE activities can be further categorized into obligatory, recommended, permissible and reprehensible; Islamic values are to be differentiated from cultural values; and both Islamic and cultural values shape IE and vice versa.

Limited number of models of IE were included in this synthesis. Although the resulting synthesized model is extensive, additional models of IE can be built to extend or even challenge it.

A novel model of IE within an Islamic system of governance is presented.

The purpose of this study is to systematically examine and compare the growth of halal tourism and hospitality in OIC and non-OIC countries based on published literature.

A critical systematic review of 154 academic papers published in the last decade involving halal tourism in OIC and non-OIC countries constituted the sample for this study. The study uses an integrated antecedents, decisions and outcomes and theories, contexts and methods framework, and a coding protocol based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Halal tourism is not developed in non-OIC countries where Islam does not predominate, which represents an opportunity for many countries to incorporate new trends in their tourism offerings. This research increases awareness of non-OIC destinations to welcome a growing halal tourism market, enabling them to foster innovation to meet new demands for Muslim travelers.

This study is different as we compare the pertinent needs that are based on religion in various geographical locations while focusing on tourism and hospitality research in Islamic and non-Islamic nations.

This study aims to investigate factors and their impacts on halal tourism destinations revisit intentions among Muslim travelers, and explore the mediating effects of emotional attachments between halal social environments, halal food and beverages, halal services and halal tourism destinations revisit intentions.

Based on review of literatures, and by distributing 500 questionnaires to Muslim respondents and subsequently collecting 387 usable responses, the study is conducted through partial least squares structural equation modeling using Smart PLS3.3.3.

The findings of the study reveal that halal social environment, halal food and beverages, halal entertainments, halal staff clothing and emotional attachments significantly influence halal tourism destinations revisit intentions, whereas halal services has insignificant impact on halal tourism destinations revisit intentions, and halal social environment, halal food and beverages and halal services have positive significant impacts on emotional attachments toward halal tourism destinations. Moreover, emotional attachments partially mediate in the relationship between halal social environment, halal food and beverages, halal services and halal tourism destinations revisit intentions.

The current study findings uniquely contribute to the development of halal tourism destinations in Bangladesh by revealing the impactful factors and formulating marketing strategies that can increase Muslim travelers’ revisit intentions toward halal tourism destinations.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is one of the pioneer research studies of halal tourism revisit intentions, providing new and unique theoretical and practical contributions to the enhancement of halal tourism industry in the world as well as Bangladesh. The findings could contribute to the halal tourism literature by identifying and evaluating factors influencing Muslim travelers’ revisit intentions toward halal tourism destinations. Moreover, the findings could help halal tourism operators in introducing halal attributes for creating Muslim travelers’ revisit intentions toward halal tourism destinations.

Informed by the concept of well-being in Islam and the eudaimonic view of psychological well-being (PWB), and drawing on resilience theory, this study aims to understand (1) the implications of residing in conflict areas for entrepreneurs’ PWB, (2) the barriers facing entrepreneurs in these areas and (3) the implications of their religiosity for their PWB.

Utilizing an interpretative qualitative method, this study employed 22 entrepreneurs residing in conflict areas (Palestine and Libya). Thematic analysis was used to explore the participants’ experiences and insights.

The findings show that living in conflict areas enhances certain components of entrepreneurs’ PWB, such as self-acceptance and having a purpose in life and diminishes other components of their PWB, including environmental mastery, personal growth, the presence of autonomy and positive relations with others. Additionally, the findings suggest that religiosity, viewed through an Islamic lens, positively contributes to entrepreneurs’ PWB and identify societal (macro level) barriers faced by entrepreneurs in these areas.

The study is theoretically and contextually relevant and offers novel insights into the interplay between religion and well-being in conflict areas. It presents a reinvigorated awareness, opens specific research directions and permits the contextual applicability and possible extension of resilience theory.

While the causes and effects of begging are well known, solutions on how to eradicate begging are still elusive in many parts of the developing world. The purpose of this study is to examine the different ways through which community leaders at the local level can contribute to the eradication of begging in one of Ghana’s most densely populated suburbs in the city of Accra.

This study was undertaken using the qualitative approach, and primary data was collected through interviews, participants observation and focus group discussions with beggars, community leaders and officials of non-governmental organisations at Nima, a suburb of Accra.

Begging in the suburb of Nima is increasingly becoming a business venture. It is no more an activity that is the preserve of only the weak, the poor, the elderly, the physically challenged, the needy and the marginalised in society. This paper argues that the eradication of begging requires multiple approaches and that community-based leaders must play a central role. This paper identified the provision of alternative sources of livelihood, the naming, shaming and condemnation of unjustified begging in the community, strict boarder control, returning foreign beggars to their home countries, the formulation and enforcement of community anti-begging by-laws and regular sensitisation programs on begging as crucial in reducing or eliminating begging.

While focusing on one Muslim-dominated suburb in Accra ensures a detailed discussion of strategies of eliminating begging from a cultural and religious perspective, the findings of this study may not be applicable to non-Islamic settings and communities where cultural or religious leadership structures do not exist.

This study has demonstrated that the eradication of begging in society cannot have one-size-fit all solution. This paper shows that in societies where cultural and religious leadership structures exist, they must play important roles in the design and implementation of strategies that seek to reduce or eliminate religious begging in society. This implies that formal government agencies and their associated laws alone will not be enough to eradicate or reduce begging under such contexts.

Measures to eradicate begging have often ignored the role of community leaders. This paper contributes to our understanding on this by specifically examining the phenomenon of begging at the micro level and exploring the different ways community leaders can contribute to the eradication of begging in society.