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Customers of Islamic banking industry continue to be skeptical on Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic banks despite receiving fatwa from the competent authorities. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the Sharīʿah risk taken by Islamic banks, so that customers are better informed on the level of Sharīʿah compliance that will help in removing the persistent level of skepticism toward Sharīʿah compliance.

This research has used the scorecard based modeling approach to build the Sharīʿah risk rating model, which consists of 14 factors that capture Sharīʿah risk and are grouped in 5 major areas revolving around regulatory support, quality of Sharīʿah supervision, business structure, product mix and treatment of capital adequacy ratio. The score calculated by applying the model is grouped into 4 tiers reflecting the level Sharīʿah compliance at bank as non-compliant, weak compliance, satisfactory compliance and high level of Sharīʿah compliance. Three case studies were conducted by applying the model to Islamic banks from Malaysia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The final Sharīʿah risk scores calculated by the model clearly differentiate the 3 banks on basis of their Sharīʿah risk. The underlying scores also highlighted the areas where banks need to improve to reduce their Sharīʿah risk.

This model can be applied by customers of Islamic banks who are interested in understanding Sharīʿah-related aspects of Islamic banking industry. This model can be applied on standalone basis or as an extension to the conventional counter party risk rating models. This model can benefit management of Islamic banks toward allocation of capital against Sharīʿah risk under Basel III, and regulators can apply the model to measure industry wide risk of Sharīʿah non-compliance.

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on Islamic finance vis-à-vis legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks in its transactions and judicial dispute resolution in Nigeria. This is with a view to putting forward direction for future studies on the duo of legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks and their impact in Islamic finance.

This review is designed as an exploratory study and qualitative methodology is used in examining relevant literature comprising of primary and secondary data while identifying legal risk and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks of Nigeria’s Islamic finance industry. Using the doctrinal approach together with content analysis, relevant Nigerian laws and judicial precedents applicable to Islamic finance practice and related publications were examined in determining the identified risks.

Undeveloped laws, the uncertainty of Sharīʿah governance and enforceability issues are identified as legal gaps for Islamic finance under the Nigerian legal system. The gaps are inimical to and undermine investor confidence in Nigeria’s Islamic finance industry. The review reveals the necessity of tailor-made Sharīʿah-based regulations in addition to corresponding governance and oversight for a legally safe and Sharīʿah-compliant Islamic finance practice. It brings to light the imperative for mitigating the legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks associated with Islamic finance operations as crucial for Islamic finance businesses, Islamic finance institutions and their sustainable development.

Based on content analysis, the review is wholly doctrinal and does not involve empirical data. Legal safety and Sharīʿah compliance are not to be compromised in Islamic finance operations. The review would assist relevant regulators and investors in Islamic financial enterprises to understand and determine the impact and potential ramifications of legal safety and Sharīʿah non-compliance on Islamic Finance Institutions.

This study provides an insight into the dimensions and ramifications of legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks of Nigeria’s Islamic finance industry. This study is premised on the imperative for research studies whose outcome would inform regulations that strike a balance between establishing Islamic financial institution/business and ensuring legal certainty and Sharīʿah compliance of their operations. This study paves way for this kind of research studies.

The findings and discussions provide a guide for regulators and researchers on the identification and mitigation of legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks in Islamic finance via a literature review. This study, the first of its kind in Nigeria, advances the idea that research into legal and Sharīʿah non-compliance risks of Islamic financial entities is key to mitigating the risks and fostering the entities and their businesses.

The existence of internal control for Sharīʿah-compliance promotes reasonable assurance that the Islamic financial institution’s (IFI’s) objectives are achieved in the following categories, namely, the effectiveness and efficiency of operations, the reliability of financial reporting and the level of compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as accounting and auditing standards. Sharīʿah non-compliant income (SNCI) is an important issue in IFIs’ operations. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify issues related to governance and internal control of SNCI in selected IFIs in Malaysia.

This research uses a case study approach to gather data on the measures of governance and risk management in relation to the internal control for SNCI in IFIs. Interviews were conducted with officers of the Sharīʿah and internal audit departments on internal control practices regarding SNCI.

Regulator’s guidelines on SNCI are simple and brief, lacking rigour in terms of governance, risk management and audit procedures. The section on SNCI is only a brief statement within the Bank Negara Malaysia’s Guidelines on Financial Reporting for Islamic Banking Institutions and also in the Operational Risk Integrated Online Network system operated by IFIs. Most of the respondents in the interviews suggested that there should be a proper guideline in determining the classification of SNCI. Second, although IFIs have established the purification account to manage SNCI, the real practice varies from one IFI to another. Third, although there are supposedly documented procedures established in relation to management and administration of SNCI, the following events still occur in practice, namely, no authorisation from the Sharīʿah Committee (SC) on various types of income channelled to the SNCI account; unauthorised use of SNCI for other purposes; SNCI not being reported in the annual financial reports; and distribution of SNCI prior to obtaining the SC’s consent. Fourth, there is an absence of Sharīʿah risk assessment conducted on operational risk by IFIs to identify any potential Sharīʿah non-compliant event.

This research contributes to the importance of Islamic corporate governance theory and Sharīʿah risk management, as well as strengthening the case for reporting SNCI to shareholders. It also contributes to the body of knowledge on the capability of the management in managing the internal control system of IFIs’ SNCI.

A new internal control assessment matrix is proposed for Sharīʿah-compliance in IFIs.

The objective of this study is to present a theoretical framework, which helps ascertain the meanings of the Sharīʿah audit quality and identify the factors that affect it.

The current literature of conventional and Islamic finance on audit quality is critically reviewed to propose the theoretical framework for the quality of Sharīʿah audit.

The paper suggests that for a better Sharīʿah compliance at Islamic banking institutions (IBIs), the role of audit practitioners is very much indispensable. The competency of the practitioner is one of the important factors that affect the quality of the Sharīʿah audit. Assessment and identification of Sharīʿah risk in different financial arrangements, contracts and transactions require a unique competency on the part of the auditor, that is, gripping Sharīʿah law besides traditional assurance skills and techniques.

The Sharīʿah compliance is one of the primary objectives of IBIs, which works at the conceptual level, product development and implementation level, various business models and governance level. Sharīʿah audit function, internal or external, is an important component of Sharīʿah governance framework and provides an independent assessment of IBIs’ compliance with the Sharīʿah rules and principles and helps in managing the Sharīʿah non-compliance risk and ensuring sound internal Sharīʿah control system.

The paper proposes a theoretical framework for defining the Sharīʿah audit quality and determining the factors that are significant in affecting the Sharīʿah audit quality in the IBIs of Pakistan.

This paper aims to observe the development of the Sharīʿah governance framework (SGF) and practice in Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) in Malaysia.

The study is a qualitative-based research. It uses various documents and content analysis approach to understand and analyze the structure, process and practice of SGF in IFIs in Malaysia.

It is found that the Central Bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia, has attempted to develop a comprehensive framework of Sharīʿah governance for IFIs in Malaysia. The framework governs the practice of the industry, covers stakeholders’ scope of duties and responsibilities and provides details on processes and procedures in the operations of IFIs to achieve the objective of Sharīʿah compliance. To maintain the relevance of the SGF to the needs of the industry, the framework has also been updated recently in 2017. The amendments aim to strengthen the effectiveness of Sharīʿah governance implementation within the Islamic finance industry.

This study attempts to comprehensively examine the evolution of the SGF Sharīʿah governance framework for IFIs in Malaysia. The Malaysian model of the SGF is unique and could be emulated by other countries in developing the Islamic finance industry in their respective jurisdictions.

The purpose of this study is to understand the reasons behind the different patterns of Sharīʿah non-compliant income (SNCI) disclosures amongst Islamic banks and, in particular, the extent to which Islamic banks make SNCI disclosures. The process involved in gaining and maintaining moral legitimacy forms the framework for this study.

Interviews were conducted with managers of Islamic banks involved in the reporting of SNCI in company annual reports.

The interview findings show that Islamic banks prefer to use procedures to gain and enhance moral legitimacy amongst their customers, business partners and staff. The constraints and challenges that Islamic banks face in SNCI reporting make this a popular means of securing moral legitimacy. However, these practices may not lead to enhanced and more communicative SNCI disclosures by Islamic banks.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that explains the motivations behind SNCI reporting by Islamic banks and frames these motivations under the moral legitimacy framework.

This study aims to develop a Sharīʿah-compliance rating mechanism for the Islamic financial services industry (IFSI), with a special focus on banking. The banking sector is taken as the area of focus due to its leadership role in the volume of global Sharīʿah-compliant assets.

The objectives of the Islamic financial system (IFS) are selected as the basis for ratings. A range of performance indicators (leading to achievement of the objectives) is grouped into four broader categories and used in the study to allocate scores with a sum total of 100. Special considerations – including the amount of resources required in performing an activity, suitability of prevailing business conditions, the degree of compulsion/discretion in performing a task and linkage with the essence of the IFS – were taken into account in the allocation of scores.

This study groups multiple performance measures into four categories, including portfolio construction (deposits mechanism, participatory and asset-based modes of financing), access to finance (service to the less-privileged and sector screening), reputation (disclosures and stakeholders’ survey) and Sharīʿah governance (Sharīʿah supervision and controls, charitable operations, human resources, product development and organization). The Portfolio, Audit, Reputation and System (PARS) rating system is then developed.

A Sharīʿah-compliance rating system is helpful in measuring the progress towards goal achievement of the IFS and in gaining stakeholders’ trust. It is also important for Sharīʿah boards and regulators in policy formulation, for management in addressing weaknesses and taking corrective measures and potentially for standard-setting bodies.

This study presents a comprehensive quantitative Sharīʿah-compliance rating mechanism, taking into consideration the objectives of the IFS – equitable distribution of wealth and financial stability, in addition to Sharīʿah-compliance in operations. Development of Sharīʿah-compliance quality ratings for Islamic banking is essential to gain customers’ trust; the suggested methodology is thus a contribution to the literature on Islamic finance.

This paper aims to highlight resolution of Islamic finance dispute by common law-oriented courts in Nigeria with respect to Sharīʿah non-compliance and legal risks thereof, as well as the lesson to learn from Malaysia in that regard. This is with view to ensuring Sharīʿah compliance and legal safety of Islamic finance practice as prerequisites for sustainability of the Nigerian Islamic finance industry.

A qualitative method was used; interviews were conducted with different categories of experts and primary data collected in relation to Sharīʿah non-compliance and legal risks in adjudicating Islamic finance dispute by civil courts and the role of expert advice as basis for court referral to Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts. A doctrinal approach was adopted to analyse relevant legislative provisions and content analysis of secondary data relevant to applicable provisions in matters of finance before civil courts.

The paper discovers an indispensable role of conventional financial regulations in sustaining Islamic finance industry. Appropriate laws for Islamic finance under the conventional framework foster legal safety and Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic finance activities in related cases handled by courts. Nigeria civil courts can aid sustainability of Islamic finance when so equipped and enabled by laws that address apparent Sharīʿah non-compliance and legal risks in judicial dispute resolution. Inadequate legal provisions for dispute resolution breeds Sharīʿah non-compliance and legal risks in Islamic finance, undermine its prospects and stand inimical to its sustainability.

This research is limited by its focus on Sharīʿah non-compliance and legal risks alone, which emanate mainly from judicial resolution of Islamic finance dispute by Nigerian civil courts.

This research seeks to motivate a determined and deliberate regulatory action and change in approach towards addressing apparent risks associated with Islamic finance while resolving disputes therein by civil courts. It has implications on common law jurisdictions generally that adopt similar approach as Nigeria's while introducing Islamic finance into their conventional finance framework.

Dispute resolution and other regulatory functions of civil courts are important to Islamic finance though apparently overlooked while introducing Islamic finance in Nigeria as in other emerging jurisdictions. This research ascertains the role of the civil courts as indispensable for Islamic Financial Institution (IFIs) operations and demonstrates that such courts are needed for the development and sustainability of Islamic finance industry. The research demonstrates the end-to-end requirement of Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic financial transactions as absolute and needs be ensured and guarded at dispute resolution level by properly equipped courts.

The purpose of this study is to develop, test and examine econometric methodology for Sharīʿah-compliant duration models of Islamic banks.

The research evaluates all existing duration models from Sharīʿah’s perspective and develops a four-stage framework for testing Sharīʿah-compliant duration models. The econometric methodology consists of multiple regression, Johansen co-integration, error correction model, vector error correction model (VECM) and threshold vector error models (TVECM).

Regressions analysis suggests that returns on earning assets and interbank offered rates are significant factors for calculating the duration of earning assets, whereas returns paid on return bearing liabilities and average interbank rates of deposits are significant factors for duration of return bearing liabilities. VECM suggests that short run duration converges into long run duration and TVECM suggests that management of assets and liabilities also plays a significant role that can bring about a change of about 15% in respective durations.

Sharīʿah-compliant duration models will improve risk and Sharīʿah efficiency, which will ultimately improve market capitalization and returns stability of Islamic banks in the long run.

Sharīʿah-compliant duration models testing provides insight into how various factors, namely, rates of return, benchmark rates and managerial skills of Islamic bank risk managers impact durations of assets and liabilities. It also explains the future course of action for Sharīʿah-compliant duration model testing.

This study aims to empirically investigate the impact of the Sharīʿah Governance Framework (SGF) on improving Sharīʿah governance practices in Islamic banks in Malaysia and in addressing its related issues.

Data collection was carried out using a comprehensive questionnaire survey, which was developed primarily based on SGF-2010 and arguments in the literature. The sample for this study includes key functionaries in Sharīʿah governance including senior managers, Sharīʿah committee (SC) and Sharīʿah team members of Islamic banks in Malaysia.

The analysis of scores obtained from the questionnaire survey–including 41 items representing current significant issues in Sharīʿah governance–indicates that SGF-2010 has been successful in achieving its objectives and in addressing related issues. The results of the paired sample t-test show significant improvements in Sharīʿah governance practices in Malaysian Islamic banks in light of the aforementioned guideline by Bank Negara Malaysia.

Findings of this research suggest that among the five essential pillars of Sharīʿah governance, namely, accountability and responsibility, independence, competence, confidentiality and transparency, most of the improvements and changes brought about by SGF-2010 are attributable to accountability and responsibility. However, there is still room for improvement in other components of the SGF, particularly with regard to transparency and the independence of the SC and Sharīʿah team.

Given the importance of Sharīʿah governance and considering recent endeavours to improve Sharīʿah-compliant culture among Islamic banks in Malaysia, this research is among the first attempts to empirically and comprehensively delve into this subject and evaluate its main issues by directly contacting key players in the Islamic banking industry and providing first-hand highlights. This research also compares the findings based on SGF-2010 with the requirements of SGF-2017 and Sharīʿah Governance Policy Document (SGPD-2019), which were released after this research was completed, where applicable.