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1 – 10 of 43Fahmi Ali Hudaefi and Kamaruzaman Noordin
This paper aims to develop a performance measure for Islamic banks (IBs) by harmonizing related studies. Furthermore, this work uses the developed yardstick to analyze the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop a performance measure for Islamic banks (IBs) by harmonizing related studies. Furthermore, this work uses the developed yardstick to analyze the performance of a sample of 11 IBs from across different countries.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses the mix-mode method. The qualitative approach is engaged first to construct the IBs performance yardstick. Following this, the quantitative approach is applied through the use of the performance yardstick to measure the sample’s performance.
Findings
This study develops a maqāṣid-based performance yardstick adapted from previous works. The developed model in this study is called an integrated maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah--based performance measure (IMSPM). By using this performance measure, the present paper finds that the sample performed highest on the objective of nafs (self) over the three-year period. In addition, this study identifies the information which best indicates the sample’s performance during the analysis.
Research limitations/implications
This paper uses the sample’s annual reports. The analysis is thus limited to informational disclosure.
Practical implications
Islamic banking and financial institutions may use the IMSPM to communicate a measurable report on their promotion of the maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (objectives of Islamic law).
Social implications
The evidence from 11 IBs is indicative of their efforts to realize maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah in the banking industry. This point may best challenge the practice of stigmatizing IBs for not being in line with the Sharīʿah (Islamic law) or of imitating conventional banks.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study lies in two points. First, this study harmonizes previous works to integrate financial and religious measures in a single yardstick. Second, by using the developed standard, this study offers a fresh insight into the global IBs’ performance, represented by 11 IBs worldwide.
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The purpose of this paper is to supply basic insights into the principle of shūrā (consultation) in Islamic banking, the idea of a centralised approach to the corporate governance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to supply basic insights into the principle of shūrā (consultation) in Islamic banking, the idea of a centralised approach to the corporate governance of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs), the roles of a centralised Sharīʿah board as the highest authority on Sharīʿah issues and its distinguishing features from a de-centralised system and the advantages and disadvantages of the two governance systems.
Design/methodology/approach
In analyzing these, the paper adopts the critical legal studies approach and refers to the provisions of the Qurʾan and Sunnah, ijmāʿ (consensus) of Sharīʿah scholars and recent Islamic banking reports.
Findings
Despite the fact that the double-digit growth of the current US$2tn Islamic banking industry is a promising sign for its further expansion – expecting to cross the US$6.5tn mark by 2020 – there remains concern over the lack of standardization or rather the diversified approaches to the corporate governance of IFIs across key Islamic banking regions.
Practical implications
There has been much debate surrounding the issue of whether the Islamic banking industry requires a centralised Sharīʿah board at the state level to complement the Sharīʿah boards at the IFIs’ individual level in providing better supervision of the Sharīʿah-compliance of IFIs. The fact that the industry is already equipped with two prominent standard-setting agencies in the form of the AAOIFI, the IFSB does little to suggest that best governance practices – which centre around the themes of consistency, harmony and uniformity – are on the horizon, at least not whilst their issued standards and guidelines remain voluntary for IFIs.
Originality/value
All in all, it is aspired that this paper may assist the reader in evaluating the pros and cons of the whole concept of Sharīʿah board centralisation.
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Abderahman Rejeb, Karim Rejeb and Suhaiza Zailani
This study aims to address the noted gap in comprehensive overviews detailing the developmental trajectory of Islamic finance (IF) as an interdisciplinary academic field.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to address the noted gap in comprehensive overviews detailing the developmental trajectory of Islamic finance (IF) as an interdisciplinary academic field.
Design/methodology/approach
The study introduces a unique approach using the combined methodologies of co-word analysis and main path analysis (MPA) by examining a broad collection of IF research articles.
Findings
The investigation identifies dominant themes and foundational works that have influenced the IF discipline. The data reveals prominent areas such as Shariah governance, financial resilience, ethical dimensions and customer-centric frameworks. The MPA offers detailed insights, narrating a journey from the foundational principles of IF to its current challenges and opportunities. This journey covers harmonizing religious beliefs with contemporary financial models, changes in regulatory landscapes and the continuous effort to align with broader socioeconomic aspirations. Emerging areas of interest include using new technologies in IF, standardizing global Islamic banking and assessing its socioeconomic effects on broader populations.
Originality/value
This study represents a pioneering effort to map out and deepen the understanding of the IF field, highlighting its dynamic evolution and suggesting potential avenues for future academic exploration.
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Aishath Muneeza and Zakariya Mustapha
The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of Kafalah in the practice of Islamic banking in Malaysia generally and ascertain applicable rules governing the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the application of Kafalah in the practice of Islamic banking in Malaysia generally and ascertain applicable rules governing the application under relevant legislations and Shariah. The study also aims to examine the legislations in the light of Shariah provisions governing Kafalah and propose amendments.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative research where primary data sources mainly legislations and secondary sources comprising of articles and books on the subject of Kafalah were examined. It is an exploratory legal research that primarily focuses on library studies and adopts doctrinal approach for content analysis of data from the identified sources.
Findings
Kafalah is widely used in Islamic banking in Malaysia with primary or secondary application in structuring such products/services as personal guarantee, bank guarantee, Islamic credit card among others. The substantive law applicable to Kafalah in Islamic banking in Malaysia is the Contracts Act 1950 as decided cases indicate. However, provisions of the Act are at variance with rules of Shariah applicable to Kafalah on absolution of guaranteed debtor, multiple guarantors’ liability towards guaranteed sum as well as recourse and recovery from principal debtor.
Research limitations/implications
This research explored the practice of Kafalah in Islamic banking under Malaysian legal framework based on the available literature. The research does not embody an empirical evaluation.
Originality/value
This research suggests, with respect to the identified issues, an amendment to the Act for clarification as follows: that recourse and recovery from principal debtor is only where creditor has requested guarantor to settle outstanding debt, that presence of surety does not absolve principal debtor from his original liability and that multiple guarantors stand as having equal responsibility towards guaranteed amount. The research findings will assist policy and law makers to harmonize the relevant laws with the Shariah to facilitate sustainable development of Islamic banking.
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Muhammed Habib Dolgun, Abbas Mirakhor and Adam Ng
This paper aims to critically investigate the liquidity risk management of Islamic banks and develop an alternative regulatory framework appropriate for liquidity management of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to critically investigate the liquidity risk management of Islamic banks and develop an alternative regulatory framework appropriate for liquidity management of these banks.
Design/methodology/approach
The specific risk profile of an Islamic bank requires developing a new and more efficient regulatory framework, which relies on risk- sharing and symmetric information among parties. The paper makes a differentiation between small local banks and internationally active Islamic banks and proposes to apply liquidity requirements only for internationally active Islamic banks.
Findings
A new proposal for the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) of Islamic banks is developed in this paper towards mitigating risks and concurrently protecting the interests of investment account holders. Minimum and maximum thresholds are proposed for each liquid asset in this new LCR framework. An alternative liquidity approach is discussed to complement the proposal and several policy options are suggested.
Originality/value
As participation banks are exposed to market liquidity and market risks, more high-quality liquid instruments within a risk-sharing regulatory framework may provide the inner adjustment process through which any mismatch regarding maturity, risk, value or linkage with the real economy is corrected systematically. It offers policy implications for regulators, supervisors and international organizations.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the main components of the regulatory framework for Islamic banking in Mauritius. This small island state of the Indian Ocean aspires to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the main components of the regulatory framework for Islamic banking in Mauritius. This small island state of the Indian Ocean aspires to host Islamic banking products while diversifying the range of financial services offered within its hybrid jurisdiction despite having a minority Muslim population. The study also aims at drawing some comparisons with the well-established regulatory framework that applies to conventional banking.
Design/methodology/approach
In this qualitative analysis of the regulatory framework of Islamic banking in Mauritius, the doctrinal approach is adopted. This method relies principally on a scrutiny of the provisions of the law and delves into the primary and secondary sources of law guiding Islamic banking practices in the Mauritian jurisdiction.
Findings
The research study concludes that, with the view of encouraging investors into Islamic banking, policymakers took some regulatory initiatives but these remained timid. These initiatives relied too often on borrowing from the regulatory framework in place for conventional banking practices instead of regulating the area within its own precepts. Prospects for expanding Islamic banking exist but will require more audacious regulatory steps so as to secure the environment within which Islamic banking is to flourish. In the meantime, the industry is in a status quo position with no further legal action currently being envisaged to re-launch this area.
Originality/value
This research study is among the first generated specifically on the regulatory framework of Islamic banking in a small financial centre that operates mostly offshore financial activities. Previous research work either focused on the empirical analysis or on reviewing the challenges and the prospects but no study has provided an in-depth analysis of the regulatory provisions circumscribing Islamic banking. This lacuna is being filled up by this research paper which highlights the regulatory needs of Islamic banking and comments on the inclusion of and the need for specific rules related to Islamic finance instead of relying on the overlap with conventional banking laws.
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This paper aims to examine the Islamic accounting research. In particular, the paper extensively investigates the literature on Islamic accounting to understand the issues…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the Islamic accounting research. In particular, the paper extensively investigates the literature on Islamic accounting to understand the issues, contexts, methods and theoretical paradigms thereof.
Design/methodology/approach
The study has adopted a literature review approach. It has examined the key journal publications for 30 years in accounting discipline and systematically identified the Islamic accounting papers during 1990–2020. In total, 95 papers were identified until June 2020, and they were thoroughly reviewed to identify the relevant issues, contexts, methods and theoretical paradigms.
Findings
The study has found that Islamic accounting papers covered issues of both Islamic organizations (e.g. Islamic financial institutions) and of Muslim countries. The key issues include the regulation and regulatory compliance, annual report disclosures, corporate and Islamic governance, accounting profession, gender, accountability matters, management accounting and control, waqf accounting and zakat management. The study has also observed various normative guidelines from the academics on how the teaching of Islam is enacted in accounting, accountability and governance matters to attain the maqasid al-shari'a, i.e. human welfare, social justice and equity.
Research limitations/implications
The study is not empirical. Hence, the limitations of literature review papers are applicable in this case. Moreover, it is possible that this study could not identify some of the important literature on Islamic accounting (such as the papers published in Arabic by the academicians and professionals of Arab world).
Practical implications
The study enables both Islamic accounting academics and practitioners to identify the main Islamic accounting issues and realize the importance of Islamic accounting.
Social implications
When the author considers Islamic accounting as a social construction and tries to understand the phenomenon through social theories, the author acknowledges the relevance of Islamic accounting in the society in which it operates. It can be noticed from the discussion that Islamic accounting emphasizes on social welfare, balance, equity and providing relevant information to follow the commandments of God.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to provide a synoptic view on the issues, context, methods and theoretical paradigms of Islamic accounting, while covering major accounting journals in 30 years.
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Ameen Ahmed Abdullah Qasem Al-Nahari, Abu Talib Mohammad Monawer, Luqman Bin Haji Abdullah, Abdul Karim Bin Ali, Noor Naemah Binti Abdul Rahman and Meguellati Achour
This paper aims to scrutinize the misconceptions about maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (objectives of Islamic law) that complicate its actualization, particularly in Islamic finance.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to scrutinize the misconceptions about maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (objectives of Islamic law) that complicate its actualization, particularly in Islamic finance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative inductive method to identify the flaws in understanding maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah vis-à-vis Islamic finance. It uses the views of classical and modern maqāṣid scholars to critically examine the flaws.
Findings
This study concludes that the five objectives of the Sharīʿah constitute the framework of maṣlaḥah (well-being). The levels of maṣlaḥah ― namely ḍarūriyyāt (essentials), ḥājiyyāt (needs) and taḥsīniyyāt (embellishments) ― are the categories of the means to ends. The demand for financial products falls under the ḥājiyyāt and taḥsīniyyāt categories, not ḍarūriyyāt. The maqāṣid (objectives) are derived from aḥkām (provisions) being verified by the parameters, while aḥkām are guided by maqāṣid.
Research limitations/implications
This study recommends further research to theorize the concepts of ḍarūriyyāt, ḥājiyyāt, taḥsīniyyat and mukammilāt (complements); to harmonize the maqāṣid with their essential elements and to formulate a conceptual framework for actualizing maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah in Islamic finance.
Practical implications
This paper will improve perceptions and bridge gaps between the understanding of maqāṣid theory and existing practices. It suggests that instead of ḍarūriyyāt, Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) should refer to ḥājiyyāt and taḥsīniyyāt.
Originality/value
This paper identifies and clarifies the misconceptions about maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah vis-à-vis Islamic finance in the existing literature. The findings align with the views of leading maqāṣid scholars in understanding the idea.
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Naji Mansour Nomran and Razali Haron
This paper aims to systematically review the existing studies on the relationship of Sharī'ah governance (SG), as represented by the Sharī'ah supervisory board (SSB), with firm…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to systematically review the existing studies on the relationship of Sharī'ah governance (SG), as represented by the Sharī'ah supervisory board (SSB), with firm performance of Islamic banks (IBs), to suggest opportunities for future research in this field.
Design/methodology/approach
By adopting a systematic literature review, 21 empirical and theoretical papers published in Scopus concerning the relationship between SSB and performance of IBs were selected for review and analysis.
Findings
In light of the existing research studies' limitations, this paper suggests that the effect of SSB on IBs' performance still requires more empirical analyses using alternative analytical methods, alternative measures, and different periods (during crisis and non-crisis). Besides that, these studies should take into account the differences across jurisdictions in their SG models, the degree of agencies' intervention in SG practices, the control over cross-memberships of scholars, and the differences across IBs in the position of SSB in the organization structure.
Practical implications
The analysis undertaken in this paper would address the literature gaps on the effect of SSB on IBs' performance as this study serves as a guide for the researchers, academicians, and interested researchers from Islamic international autonomous non-for-profit organizations, e.g. AAOIFI and IFSB in research related to this important area. Importantly, the findings of this study would support regulators and related authorities across jurisdictions with suggestions on improving the current SG practices.
Originality/value
This paper presents a critical review of the existing research on SSB and IB performance and suggests new variables, measurements, analytical methods, and new issues for researchers in this area. Thus, it identifies the literature gap that still needs further empirical investigation and a suitable way to close it.
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Said Bouheraoua and Fares Djafri
Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) are required to establish a Shariīʿah Governance Framework (SGF) to strengthen their Sharīʿah-compliance mechanism and ensure that all…
Abstract
Purpose
Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) are required to establish a Shariīʿah Governance Framework (SGF) to strengthen their Sharīʿah-compliance mechanism and ensure that all relevant IFI regulations are in line with Sharīʿah rules and principles. Effective implementation of the Shariīʿah-compliance function will further promote stakeholder confidence, as well as the integrity of IFIs, by reducing Shariīʿah non-compliance risks. This study aims to examine the internal control framework developed by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) and explore the extent to which it can be incorporated in the Sharīʿah-compliance function of IFIs.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative method of inquiry, utilizing the inductive method and content analysis to build comprehensive knowledge that will assist in exploring the framework of COSO methodology and the extent to which it can be adopted by IFIs.
Findings
The findings indicate that the existing frameworks of Sharīʿah governance, whether that of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) or Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), need to be further developed. Therefore, the adoption of COSO methodology in the internal Sharīʿah audit of IFIs, as suggested by AAOIFI, is not only possible but desirable. The study also finds that the COSO framework places the highest priority on risk management in that it makes it an integral part of the decision-making process in all the institution's activities. As a result, incorporating the comprehensive COSO risk management structure within the Sharīʿah-compliance function will enhance risk management in IFIs.
Originality/value
This study highlights the importance of the COSO internal control framework and examines its components, principles and the possibility of its adoption by IFIs. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to enhancing the Sharīʿah-compliance function of IFIs.
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