The development of Islamic banking and finance (IBF) previously centred around three regions of the world: the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. However, in recent years, this has expanded, as interest in IBF has gained momentum in Australia, the USA, and Europe, especially in the UK. Several Western market players have established their own Islamic window or subsidiaries to cater to the need of growing Muslim populations in these regions. This book examines the recent developments in IBF, particularly in the context of Islamic social finance instruments, such as Islamic microfinance, halal education, takaful, mutual funds, and waqf. It covers the religiosity, spirituality, and tawhid index, which promotes social well-being and empowerment. The book is interdisciplinary, and theories, practice, and key issues are presented simultaneously, introducing new ideas and techniques to the IBF community. Moreover, the book examines topics such as innovation in Islamic social finance instruments, advanced techniques of risk mitigation in Islamic capital markets, marketing and the halal industry, and shari’ah-compliant instruments, which are critical to Islamic finance. The book is an essential reference text for academics and research students at the master’s and doctorate levels in IBF.

It is said that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned back the poverty clock. As such, there is a need to have social mechanisms put in place to provide relief to those who are affected in this regard. Islamic social finance consists of tools and institutions that could be used to alleviate poverty. This book explores the impact of COVID-19 on Islamic finance to better understand the effectiveness of Islamic social finance in helping those who have been affected by poverty overnight due to the halt in all major economic activities in the context of the pandemic. Since the struggle against poverty in each country will be different, the book attempts to shed light on the experiences of different countries by presenting successful models of Islamic social finance. The book first looks at poverty and COVID-19 before delving into the role of Islamic social financial institutions and how they have risen against COVID-19. The book concludes by examining the impact of COVID-19 on Islamic microfinance. This book is the first of its kind on the subject of COVID-19, and it intends to bridge the gap in the literature.

Islamic microfinance is one of the most important sectors of Islamic social finance, which plays a very important role in curbing poverty and improving the standard of living, per capita income, employment level as well as achieving Maqasid al-Shariah, profitability and sustainability. This role of Islamic microfinance has become more crucial in the pandemic period. It has been clearly witnessed in developing countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, how Islamic microfinance institutions helped deprived and affected communities during the pandemic. Another important development during the pandemic was the introduction of blended models of Islamic microfinance such as waqf-based Islamic microfinance, a zakat-based model and the combination of Islamic commercial and social finance. Islamic microfinance institutions also aim to harness the power of digitalization and fintech, but they need to consider the necessary success factors to realize and gain the real benefits of technology. There are some major challenges related to regulations, management issues, lack of skilled human resources, a wide digital divide and low level of financial literacy in developing countries. These challenges need to be addressed to ensure stability, steady growth and sustainability in the sector. This book is a compendium on Islamic microfinance, including case studies from seven jurisdictions and prospects for the sector. The book will be a major contribution to the literature of Islamic economics and finance and a guide of equal importance for students, academics, institutions, regulators, fintechs, policy makers and the general public.

This is an annual international conference held by this faculty involving four departments, Accountancy, Economics, Management and Shariah Economics. This year we come with the theme of “Sustainability and Digital Transformation in Global Vulnerability: Current Issues in Accounting and Shariah Economics”. There is a greater consciousness today of the links and inter-dependence of the two topics; scientific research which leads to a better understanding and knowledge of sustainability issues and massive transformation in digital development where the degree of susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets, or system to the impact of hazard has increased because of the physical, social, economic and environmental factors.

This book argues that focusing on the green economy and green finance is essential to counteract the catastrophic, socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, while numerous research initiatives in the context of the green economy and/or finance have been observed in different parts of the world, to date, no comprehensive work has been published on the topic of green finance in relation to the discipline of Shari’ah. This timely book provides a comprehensive guide and offers practical solutions to the core issues of green finance within the principles of Maqasid al-Shari’ah. It contends that Islamic green finance serves to promote global financial stability and mitigate the financial risks associated with climate change and environmental degradation: by integrating Islamic finance principles with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices; by encouraging ethical investments and prioritising long-term social and environmental benefits; and by redirecting capital towards sustainable projects and fostering a more sustainable and inclusive financial system. Islamic green finance’s emphasis on transparency, governance, risk-sharing, and responsible investing helps lessen systemic risks and supports the transition towards a more stable and sustainable global financial landscape. The book’s holistic approach to green finance in Maqasid al-Shari’ah aims to ensure that financial actions align with Islamic principles and help create a more sustainable and responsible economic system. The book is a detailed reference, which sheds light on the pressing issues of our time. It encompasses various aspects of Islamic economics and serves as a guide to implementing green financing in accordance with Islamic principles and ethics, and as such, it will appeal to academics, researchers, students and policymakers alike.

This book provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of Waqf (endowment), addressing specific issues, models, solutions, structures and practices. As Islamic finance has gained in significance, so too has the institution of Waqf, working towards creating an enterprising and an entrepreneurial community across the globe, in order to meet the underlying objectives of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by targeting the low-income group in particular. The book analyses the historical context of Waqf as well as its revival in the digital era. It addresses the laws and policies affecting the management of Waqf, such as Maqasid al-Shari’ah, law and policies, law and fiscal reform, regulations applied within Muslim countries, judicial procedures and dispute resolutions and covers the core issues concerning the formalities of Waqf, its management and corporate governance questions. The book includes a series of specialised chapters focusing on the products and services of Waqf, covering product innovation, product development, and then assesses the risk factors in Waqf and Waqf Takaful. Finally, it focuses on the challenges of Waqf and offers recommendations for the way forward. A timely and practical guide, comprising a literature review and future research directions, as well as a number of international case studies, this will be a key reference for academics, students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

This book serves as a valuable resource for Islamic entrepreneurship researchers, Halal scholars, Islamic finance professionals, Halal advocates, and Halal business model consultants in the fast-changing global economy. The thematic focus is not only on Islamic and halal entrepreneurship but also on halal production and consumption, ethics and impact investing in Islamic entrepreneurship, Shariah principles guiding business model innovation and utilisation of disruptive technologies (such as crowdfunding for startups, bitcoin, digital ventures, cryptocurrency, blockchain, among others), Islamic entrepreneurship and SDGs, halalisation and sustainability issues, and emergence of Islamic-Fintech in Muslim majority nations and nations with plural economic systems, including the interface of Islamic and halal entrepreneurship with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). At the moment, the working knowledge about Islamic and halal entrepreneurship is at its infancy among Islamic finance professionals, halal consultants, academic researchers, and students nursing the ambition of going into these two fields. Universities, Islamic training academies, and centres are also ill equipped to enrich Islamic and halal curricula with principles and conventional models. One of the proactive ways of breaking financial exclusion, social inequality, and social exclusion caused by apathy and avoidance of Riba, Maysir, and Gharar is by recognising, embracing, and promoting Islamic and halal entrepreneurship among the excluded Muslims and lovers of ethical business models. Overall, this book aims to promote better understanding of Islamic and Halal entrepreneurship in order to assist academics, researchers, practitioners, consultants, and policymakers to improve the growth of Islamic startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by improving social inclusion and financial inclusion and accelerating the attainment of SDG 8 and SDG12.

This book provides a systematic overview of the current trends in research relating to the use of artificial intelligence in Islamic financial institutions (IFIs), across all organization of Islamic cooperation (OIC) countries. Artificial Intelligence and Islamic Finance discusses current and potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) for risk management in Islamic finance. It covers various techniques of risk management, encompassing asset and liability management risk, credit, market, operational, liquidity risk, as well as regulatory and Shariah risk compliance within the financial industry. The authors highlight AI’s ability to combat financial crime such as monitoring trader recklessness, anti-fraud and anti-money laundering, and assert that the capacity of machine learning (ML) to examine large amounts of data allows for greater granular and profound analyses across a variety of Islamic financial products and services. The book concludes with practical limitations around data management policies, transparency, and lack of necessary skill sets within financial institutions. By adopting new methodological approaches steeped in an Islamic economic framework (e.g., analysing FinTech in the context of Shariah principles and Islamic values), it devises practical solutions and generates insightful knowledge, helping readers to understand and explore the role of technological enablers in the Islamic finance industry, such as RegTech and artificial intelligence, in providing better and Shariah-compliant services to customers through digital platforms. The book will attract a wide readership spanning Shariah scholars, academicians, and researchers as well as Islamic financial practitioners and policy makers.

"Financial Management in Sindh: The Role of the Provincial Finance Department" provides a comprehensive overview of the department's structure, functions, and key processes. It delves into the complexities of budgeting, accounting, treasury operations, and interdepartmental coordination. This book serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the financial governance landscape of Sindh, offering insights into how public funds are managed and utilized to support the province's development goals.