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This study aims to assess the extent of the mandatory and voluntary Shariah compliance disclosure in the Shariah Committee Report of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in Malaysia. The study highlights the accountability and transparency of the Shariah Committee members to provide full disclosure of relevant Shariah compliance information to the stakeholders.

The study adopts content analysis to quantify and code the number of sentences in the Shariah Committee Report disclosed in the 2016 annual report of 47 IFIs in Malaysia. The extent of Shariah compliance disclosure in the Shariah Committee Report is measured based on the Standard (S) and Guidance (G) items outlined in the Shariah Governance Framework (SGF) as well as the Financial Reporting for Islamic Banking Institutions and takaful operators guidelines issued by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) as the reference.

The findings indicate that majority of IFIs complied with the minimum mandatory disclosure requirement based on the Standard (S) items in the Shariah Committee Report as required by the SGF. Highest information on the purpose of Shariah Committee engagement and scope of work performed is disclosed to the stakeholders in almost all IFIs. Only two prominent full-fledged Islamic bank and Islamic banking business in development financial institutions have shown highest accountability to go beyond the minimum disclosure requirement. This includes disclosing higher voluntary information on Shariah governance processes in the Shariah Committee Report of these two IFIs.

This study adopts the SGF (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2010), Financial Reporting for Islamic Banking Institutions (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2016) and Financial Reporting for Takaful Operators (Bank Negara Malaysia, 2015) as the reference to develop the measurement of Shariah compliance disclosure in the Shariah Committee Report. These guidelines issued by BNM are still effective during the period of study, i.e. the year 2016.

The findings contribute towards the relevance for BNM as the regulator to enhance the current disclosure requirement in the Shariah Committee Report as stated in the SGF especially in Islamic windows and takaful operators. The main argument of this paper is that the more information being disclosed in the Shariah Committee Report will lead to better Shariah assurances. The issuance of Shariah Governance Policy Document in 2019 is expected to enhance the credibility, accountability and transparency of the Shariah Committee members concerning their oversight responsibility towards Shariah matters in IFIs’ business operations.

After five years since the issuance of the SGF in 2010, further study on the extent of mandatory and voluntary Shariah compliance disclosure is important to highlight the accountability and transparency on the implementation of the Shariah governance across various types of IFIs in Malaysia.

The presence of securities crowdfunding (SCF) FinTech in the Islamic financial landscape opens investment opportunities through shares and sukuk (Sharia bond) instruments. This study aims to examine the effect of investment risk (IR), legal risk (LR), product knowledge (PK), Sharia compliance (SC) and subjective norm (SN) on investment decisions in businesses and projects run by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The questionnaires were distributed to prospective investors with prior knowledge of SCF and Islamic investment. The data collected was then examined using partial least square-structural equation modeling using SmartPLS 4.0.

The results show that LR has positive and significant implications for supporting investment through SCF, while IR has the opposite. The main findings in this study explain that PK and SC are proven to strengthen the intention to invest in SCF. Meanwhile, SN, which also strengthens intention, is the greatest influence. Therefore, it is highly recommended that SCF organizers collaborate with regulators (OJK), universities, academics and the investor community, as well as Muslim entrepreneurs, to provide education and literacy regarding SCF products and the underlying contracts, along with the consequences and uniqueness of investment vis SCF.

From a managerial side, Sharia expert educators can be appointed to increase investors’ literacy and confidence to support SMEs’ business expansion via SCF. In addition, to minimize investment risk, SCF organizers are also advised to issue sukuk and shares in different low-risk businesses/sectors, followed by investment amounts that are more affordable for novice investors.

Research on SCF as an alternative to SME financing is still scarce. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first research to empirically test the relationship between risk, SC, PK and SN on potential investors’ decisions to support SMEs through the SCF mechanism.

This study aims to investigate what past scholars have learned about Muslim consumer compliance behaviour in Islamic banks and identify what future research is needed. In addition, it also explores the relationship model between the previously studied determining factors and the customer’s Sharia compliance behaviour.

This study used a bibliometric–systematic literature review analysis using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) technique by reviewing the articles published from 2013 to 2023. The PRISMA procedures involved several stages, including identification, screening, eligibility, analysis and conclusion based on the findings.

The results found that customer Sharia compliance behaviour determinants in Islamic banks are attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, Islamic financial literacy, religiosity, consumer conformity, Islamic branding and behavioural intention. Interestingly, the results indicated that such factors as consumer conformity, Islamic branding and sustainable intentions are less discussed.

Decision-makers in Islamic banks must use digital technology to offer better service and make operations more reachable for customers to access information, complete transactions and manage their accounts by Sharia principles. Therefore, the bank needs to continually produce innovative products and services so that customers have a greater variety of options to suit their Sharia-compliant financial needs. Theoretically, this study has contributed by finding the main critical domains influencing customers’ Sharia compliance behaviour, such as attitudes, subjective norms, perceptions of behavioural control, knowledge of Islamic finance, religiosity, consumer conformity, Islamic branding and behavioural intentions. Then, it makes a theoretical contribution by establishing a model that explains how customers make decisions based on Sharia-related factors in the context of their purchases.

Past studies focused on the Sharia compliance behaviour in paying Zakat for takaful customers. Therefore, this study provides critical factors of Sharia compliance behaviour on conformity, Islamic branding and sustainable intention regarding unexplored consensus on the determinants and outcomes of customer Sharia compliance behaviour of Islamic banking.

This study aims to address the noted gap in comprehensive overviews detailing the developmental trajectory of Islamic finance (IF) as an interdisciplinary academic field.

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.

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.

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.

Sharia-compliant financial technologies (Islamic fintech) are becoming increasingly popular among Muslims and non-Muslims. As the Islamic fintech landscape continues to grow and transform, it is crucial to understand the factors that influence the acceptance or adoption of Islamic fintech services from the past literature. Therefore, this paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to investigate and compile factors that could influence a user to adopt Islamic fintech.

The current study adopted the systematic literature review approach using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses technique to examine research on Islamic fintech adoption. A set of inclusion criteria was applied to filter out irrelevant documents and ensure the selection of only the most relevant ones. The criteria were limited to quantitative journals published in English between 2012 and 2022, as identified in Scopus outlets.

Despite the existence of various theoretical frameworks, the technology acceptance model and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 frameworks have gained prominence as the most frequently applied frameworks in examining Islamic fintech adoption. In addition, trust is the most important self-developed construct for the adoption of Islamic Fintech.

The current study does not segregate the intention, actual usage and retention, as the author is interested in understanding the overall adoption of Islamic fintech services. To obtain more specific analysis results, future research could potentially separate the three types of adoption exposure, i.e., consumer acceptance, intention and retention. Next, future studies can also expand their analysis and gain a better understanding of the research topic by exploring alternative data sources such as Web of Science, ERA or JSTOR.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study makes a significant contribution to the literature by providing the first systematic literature review of factors influencing fintech adoption from an Islamic perspective.

This study aims to examine the association between environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and cash holdings, as well as whether this association is moderated by Shariah-compliant status. The aim was to test the joint effect of two ethical precepts, namely, the ESG and Shariah-compliant status, in explaining variations in cash holdings.

A sample set that consisted of 9,244 firm-year observations from 25 countries from 2016 to 2020 was analysed using regression analysis. Firm-level data were sourced from Thomson Reuters and Refinitiv databases, while country-level data were derived from the World Bank and Hofstede Insights websites.

Firms with greater ESG performances were found to have higher cash holdings. The positive association between ESG performance and cash holdings was greater for Shariah-compliant firms compared to non-Shariah-compliant firms. In support of the stakeholder theory, the evidence indicated that Shariah-compliant firms with higher ESG commitments also have higher cash holdings as part of their corporate strategy.

These findings provided further comprehension to investors that ESG practices among Shariah-compliant firms are essential information during investment decision-making processes.

These findings highlighted ethical corporate practices through two frameworks, namely, ESG commitment and Shariah compliance; hence, contributing towards strategies to reach the Sustainable Development Goal 16 of promoting just, peaceful and inclusive societies.

This study has focused on the motives for cash holdings by considering the ethical precepts embodying ESG and Shariah compliance to uphold the positive impact of high cash reserves.

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of Shariah governance disclosure among Islamic banks in Malaysia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (i.e. Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia). On top of that, the effect of Shariah governance disclosure on Islamic banks financial performance is investigated.

Data underwent quantitative content analysis and a mean comparison of the Shariah governance disclosure mechanisms as well as multiple regression analysis. Shariah governance information is obtained from the Islamic banks' official websites and the Bursa Malaysia Exchange.

The results of the content analysis revealed that the level of Shariah governance disclosure among Malaysian Islamic banks has been more pronounced than in the GCC countries. Additionally, the multiple regression analysis results specified that of the five Shariah governance disclosure mechanisms, the Shariah committee emerged as the strongest determinant in the financial performance of the Islamic banks, followed by transparency and disclosure.

Islamic banks should emphasise publishing Shariah governance information in annual reports to reflect superior accounting practices as assessed by certified Shariah auditors with an effective monitoring system.

The empirical findings are vital for serving as a guideline for Islamic banks in Malaysia and the GCC countries to disclose their practice of Shariah governance and gain empirical insights into its effect on firms’ financial performance. Following that, Islamic banks would improve their accounting practices while adhering to Shariah principles, strengthen internal controls and boost their brand reputation.

Evaluating the implementation of environmental management plans (EMPs) in highway construction projects is essential to avoid climate change. Public evaluations can help ensure that the EMP is implemented correctly and efficiently. To allow public evaluation of EMP implementations, this study aims to investigate performance indicators (PIs) for assessing EMP implementation in highway construction projects. To that end, the study objectives are to compare the critical PIs between environment auditors (EAs) and environment officers (EOs) and among the main project stakeholders (i.e. clients, contractors and consultants), create components for the critical PIs and assess the efficiency of the components.

The paper identified 39 PIs from interviews with environmental professionals and a systematic literature review. Then a questionnaire survey was developed based on the PIs and sent to EAs and EOs. The data were analyzed via mean score ranking, normalization, agreement analysis, factor analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).

The analyses revealed 21 critical PIs for assessing EMP implementation in highway construction projects. Also, the critical PIs can be grouped into four components: ecological, pollution, public safety and ecological. Finally, the overall importance of the critical PIs from the FSE is between important and very important.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first-of-its-kind study on the critical PIs for assessing EMP implementation in highway construction projects.

This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric investigation of the antecedents to financial stability in Islamic banking, a transition economy with a volatile stock market focusing on banks following the Shariah approach.

The data for this analysis was extracted from the Scopus database, which combines a comprehensively crafted abstract and citation database with augmented data and linked scholarly works across various disciplines. It quickly finds relevant research and provides access to reliable data and analytical tools. This study deploys “bibliometrix 3.0,” a biblioshiny R-package for influential structure and the VOS viewer for intellectual structure.

The investigation’s main findings revealed that 1,910 documents were published from 1987 to 2022. Published manuscripts received 39,050 citations, with an average of 10.18 citations per year. However, the instructed empirical research was experienced during 2009 and 2020, while earlier periods (1987–2008) were relatively inactive where banking was considered protective in the presence of BASEL-II capital accords regulations. While the International Journal of Bank Market has been at the top of the list to publish articles related to the area under investigation, the Journal of Banking and Finance is ranked one of the most cited articles. Malaysia has been at the top of the list of countries to research Islamic Sharia compliance principles in the banking industry, and International Islamic University Malaysia has produced enough evidence in this regard. The intellectual structure provided essential foundations for future research, and the bibliometric coupling approach was used.

While most of the banking research has been conducted to determine the banking business efficiency, risk and profitability, little focus is given to financial stability and that too concerning the Islamic banks. Therefore, researchers need to investigate this horizon from an Islamic banking point of view and focus on key issues that discriminate between Islamic and conventional banks in determining their stability level.

Briefly, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study would be the first to provide bibliometric information about financial stability keeping in view the sample data from banks with the Shariah approach. Furthermore, the proven analysis demonstrates a novel contribution that financially stable Islamic banks might strengthen the financial industry and overall economy.

This paper presents an experimental investigation in establishing the relationship between FDM process parameters and tensile strength of polycarbonate (PC) samples using the I-Optimal design.

I-optimal design methodology is used to plan the experiments by means of Minitab-17.1 software. Samples are manufactured using Stratsys FDM 400mc and tested as per ISO standards. Additionally, an artificial neural network model was developed and compared to the regression model in order to select an appropriate model for optimisation. Finally, the genetic algorithm (GA) solver is executed for improvement of tensile strength of FDM built PC components.

This study demonstrates that the selected process parameters (raster angle, raster to raster air gap, build orientation about Y axis and the number of contours) had significant effect on tensile strength with raster angle being the most influential factor. Increasing the build orientation about Y axis produced specimens with compact structures that resulted in improved fracture resistance.

The fitted regression model has a p-value less than 0.05 which suggests that the model terms significantly represent the tensile strength of PC samples. Further, from the normal probability plot it was found that the residuals follow a straight line, thus the developed model provides adequate predictions. Furthermore, from the validation runs, a close agreement between the predicted and actual values was seen along the reference line which further supports satisfactory model predictions.

This study successfully investigated the effects of the selected process parameters - raster angle, raster to raster air gap, build orientation about Y axis and the number of contours - on tensile strength of PC samples utilising the I-optimal design and ANOVA. In addition, for prediction of the part strength, regression and ANN models were developed. The selected ANN model was optimised using the GA-solver for determination of optimal parameter settings.

The proposed ANN-GA approach is more appropriate to establish the non-linear relationship between the selected process parameters and tensile strength. Further, the proposed ANN-GA methodology can assist in manufacture of various industrial products with Nylon, polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and PET as new 3DP materials.