In this lecture, Dr. Umer Chapra has explained both the subject matter of Islamic economics as well as its methodology in his usual masterly fashion. He has also presented a comparative perspective for solving the eternal economic problem: He has explained how the Islamic economics paradigm deals with this problem and allocates the scarce resources among their alternative uses in such a way that human well-being is maximized without sacrificing social objectives.

This book is a comprehensive study, which provides informed knowledge within the field of Islamic economics. The authors lay down the principal philosophical foundation of a unique and universal theory of Islamic economics by contrasting it with the perspectives of mainstream economics. The methodological part of the theory of Islamic economics arises from the ethical foundations of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (tradition of the Prophet) along with learned exegeses in an epistemological derivation of the postulates and formalism of Islamic economics. This foundational methodology will be contrasted with the contemporary approaches of the random use of mainstream economic theory in Islamic economics. The book establishes the methodological foundation as the primal and most fundamental premise of the study leading to scientific formalism and the prospect of its application. By way of its Islamic epistemological explanation (philosophical premise) in the form of logical formalism and the use of simple real-world examples, the authors show the reader that the scientific nature of economics in general and Islamic economics in particular rests on the conception of the scientific worldview. With its uniquely comparative approach to mainstream economics, this book facilitates a greater understanding of Islamic economic concepts. Senior undergraduate and graduate students will gain exposure to Islamic perspectives of micro- and macroeconomics, money, public finance, and development economics. Additionally, this book will be useful to practitioners seeking a greater comprehension of the nature of Islamic economics. It will also enable policymakers to better understand the mechanism of converting institutions, such as public and social policy perspectives.

ÔI read with great interest the current state of Islamic economics and finance as examined by Muhammad Akram Khan, who has given a fresh outlook for the readers to find out its limitations and to search for its solutions. Khan has read widely in the subject matter, and presented his views with reference to literature and thoughtful and logical arguments. While many may not agree with his arguments or will have a better explanation, I find his arguments at least worthy of examination to strengthen the arguments of those who might oppose him. Although Khan is critical of the subject matter, he is very sympathetic to the greater objectives of Islamic economics and provides his own prescriptions to achieve those objectives.Õ Ð M. Kabir Hassan, University of New Orleans, US ÔThis is a very thought provoking book coming at a crucial stage in the development of Islamic economics and finance. Although the reader may not agree with some of the conclusions reached, it is clearly a scholarly and extensively researched piece of work; it should be read by all serious students of the subject area. Amongst other things, it throws light on the reasons why the practical implementation of Islamic economics and finance, particularly in relation to the financial system and financial institutions, has not always conformed to the true theoretical foundations laid down by Islamic scholars.Õ Ð John Presley, Loughborough University, UK and recipient of Islamic Development Bank Prize in Islamic Finance, 2001Ð2002 ÔÒIslamic economic system is a type of capitalism with a spiritual dimensionÓ is a major conclusion of this book. I applaud this insight of Muhammad Akram Khan. The same can be perhaps said of Islamic finance, which, in its hurry to build viable and efficient financial institutions, has ignored the very same need to start with profits-and-risk-sharing principle and no-riba principles to build pricing models to anchor the new sub-discpline. The good news is that, in the course of time to come, AkramÕs advocacy may be realised since such serious works have already begun.Õ Ð Mohamed Ariff, University Putra Malaysia and Bond University, Australia ÔAlthough there are many books on Islamic economics, this critical, but sympathetic, account by Muhammad Akram Khan is worthy of attention. The author has clearly read widely on the subject and appreciates the limitations of much that he has read. Islamic economics is a work in progress and by focusing on its shortcomings, Khan challenges the assumptions of many working in the field. His discussion of methodology is insightful, and even the prohibition of riba, for many the defining characteristic of Islamic finance, is examined from a fresh perspective. While many will not agree with the analysis and the conclusions, even critics should be able to appreciate the strengths of the arguments made. In summary this is a worthwhile, and in many respects an innovative, survey of the state of Islamic economics and finance. It deserves to be widely read.Õ Ð Rodney Wilson, Durham University, UK What is Wrong with Islamic Economics? takes an objective look at the state of the art in Islamic economics and finance. It analyses reasons for perceived stagnation and also suggests a way forward. As well as probing various myths, the book presents several innovative ideas and a methodology for developing the subject on new foundations. It also highlights weaknesses in the conventional position on prohibition of interest, which has led Islamic banks devise a series of legal tricks. The author notes how the original aim of devising a new brand of banking has become less prominent whilst Islamic banks now position themselves more closely to conventional banks. The book also offers insights into how certain traditional thinking has seemingly ignored the egalitarian spirit of the law of zakah and created a scenario where zakah is not able to help the billions of poor people around the globe. This detailed book will appeal to students, professors, researchers, Islamic banks and finance houses, consulting companies, accounting firms, and regulatory bodies. Professional economists, libraries in research and training organizations, as well as anyone with a general interest in the topic will find much to interest them.

Studies conducted in the field of Islamic economics lose their relevance over time. Works examining Islamic economics since the 1970s have been co-opted by the existing economic system and have become limited to a large extent, as they are now only concerned with financial transactions. In fact, ""Islamic economics"" as a concept should actually be conceptualized as an alternative economic system. However, because of the financial and commercial transactions implemented in daily economic life ...

This comprehensive survey of Islamic economic thought covers the development of ideas from the early Muslim jurists to the period of the Umayyads and Abbasids. The economic concerns of the Ottomans, Safawids and Moghuls are examined, as is the profusion of more recent writing.

In its pursuit to equip the reader with a basic knowledge of Islamic economics, this book divulges the micro-foundations of the discipline, and highlights the predominant schools of thought that exist in the field. It explains, in simple terms, what Islamic economics entails and how it can be studied as a science in relation to the Holy Quran, the Sunnah and the Islamic intellectual tradition based on these two sources. The book familiarizes the reader with knowledge of the basic maxims of the discipline. It then establishes the arguments that are presented by the proponents of religion-based economics, specifically Islam, and apprises readers about the aforementioned schools as they exist. A number of chapters consider the dimension of the dilemmas the discipline is facing, and the chronological progress of the field is reviewed, hence providing a comprehensive overview of the topic. The book deals with the issues about the origins of Islamic economics, the basic methodological questions, the use of the opportunities offered by fiqh in the methodological discussions and the main problems arising from the encounter with other cultures and civilizations. It offers practical solutions, despite the differing schools of thought, not unlike the development of conventional Economics where radical differences between Keynesian, Classical and Monetarist approaches existed. It concludes by incorporating some of the finest works that explain to the reader how Islamic economics may progress as a discipline. This guide will provide both students and researchers in Comparative Economic Studies, Islamic Economics and Islamic Finance with an essential overview of the field.

The Islamic perception of the socio-economic process is dynamic and its insistence on social justice is uncompromising. To produce the best social structure, according to this view, man’s economic endeavours should be motivated by a meaningful moral philosophy. In the face of the challenges presented by the modern world, the practice of Islamic economics raises many complex and profound issues. These are addressed in this highly important work, which must be considered essential reading for all those who live in the vision of the ‘right’. First published in 1994.

Methods and techniques adopted in teaching, training, learning, research, professional development, or capacity building are generally standardized across most traditional disciplines, particularly within developing countries. This is not the case, however, when it comes to the Islamic disciplines, and, in particular, in relation to the study of Islamic economics and finance, which is influenced by conventional standards and techniques. This is primarily due to the lack of availability of the requisite standards and mechanisms designed within the spirit of Maqsid al-Shari’ah. This book offers a unique resource and a comprehensive overview of the contemporary methods and smart techniques available for teaching, learning, and researching Islamic eco-finance, and it presents solutions to the challenges in implementing them. Further, the book gives deep insight into the most appropriate methodologies that could be employed empirically to explore, model, analyze, and evaluate Islamic finance theories and models, respectively. It also gives recommendations for improving learning, teaching, and research outcomes in Islamic eco-finance. The book also addresses how, in this advanced technological era, smart tools like artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, Zoom, and the internet of things can be adapted to help equip students, researchers, and scholars with smart skills. The book will enable those studying Islamic economics and finance to grasp the appropriate tools for research and learning. Additionally, the Islamic economics and finance sector is growing at a significant rate and therefore requires the upskilling and capacity building of its human resources; thus, the book will also be highly beneficial for practitioners involved in the industry.

Institutional economics claims that institutions and policies rather than the size of labour force, technology or capital investment are pivotal for growth or under-development. In this regard there are two kinds of institutions: external institutions expressed in the form of laws, organisations, regulations, companies, banks and the like and internal institutions, which are found in the hearts and consciences of individuals. Against this backdrop, this book acquaints readers with the basic concepts related to institutional economics. It then brings to light the theoretical concepts related to the institutional perspectives on Islamic economics, particularly highlighting areas where Islamic economic institutions lay at the crossroads with conventional ones. The book also ref lects upon the organisational arrangements that comply with the basic tenets of Islamic institutional economics. Further, it brings a collection of real-world case studies into discussion to show the models of Islamic institutions that are pragmatic in today’s business environment. The book contains novel dimensions on the subject, includes conceptual debates as well as practical examples and explores hot topics such as waqf and fintech from an Islamic perspective. This is the first book to exclusively cover this topic and is written by well-known and respected international economists from the field. Since the book is written in an accessible style and the concepts are expressed in plain language, it will find an audience among academics, researchers and students in economics and Islamic economic studies, as well as policymakers and professionals engaged in the Islamic finance industry, seeking to make their services and products conform to an Islamic institutional perspective.

With the impressive emergence of Islamic finance as a branch of Islamic economics, the need for a solid knowledge base that encompasses theories, thoughts and applications related to the subject increased in importance. However, writing about Islamic economics is a great challenge due to the differences in opinion on many of its issues. This includes methodologies for determining the Islamic perspective on economic concepts and issues as well as applicable solutions for today’s economic and social problems. It is further argued that Islamic economics topics are not as clear as those in conventional economics as they have their own religious, spiritual and social dimensions. The points of controversy have generated lengthy discussions. Moreover, Islamic economics encompasses a vast array of topics and approaches, from the purely theoretical, which may include philosophy or religious ideas, to mathematical and quantitative analyses. We tried our best throughout this textbook to simplify, clarify and summarise these concepts to make them accessible to all readers including students, practitioners, academics and even interested non-specialists. This textbook presents, discusses and analyses various topics and issues related to Islamic economics ranging from philosophical, epistemological and methodological to microeconomic and macroeconomic perspectives. In this endeavour, the social aspect of Islamic economics—an essential part of the discipline—is not neglected. The textbook compares Islamic ideas and concepts related to economics with those in conventional economics to highlight Islamic economics as a distinct field of knowledge with an emphasis on the ethical and social aspects. The authors have tried their level best to explain the theoretical concepts as simply as possible without ignoring today’s realities and without compromising Sharīʿah principles and objectives. One of the main objectives of the book is to provide the reader with Islamic economic ideas and solutions that are realistic and applicable within the current highly globalised economic and business environment, which is largely dominated by conventional interest-based systems and institutions. Despite being written for an elementary-level audience, this textbook can also be beneficial to a wide range of specialist and non-specialist readers and seekers of knowledge. For those specialising in Islamic economics, it is an appropriate source of reference to gain an overview on different topics relating to the foundations of Islamic economics. At this point, however, it must be mentioned that each topic deliberated upon, by its nature, would require a book on its own to cover all its aspects. Therefore, further exploration is required for Islamic economics specialists. A list of references and recommended readings is provided for that purpose at the end of each chapter. On the other hand, students of mainstream economics, finance and other academic majors will find this textbook an excellent resource for comprehensive knowledge of Islamic economics and its related issues. Universities may benefit from the different topics presented in this textbook in designing or preparing their economics courses at different levels based on their own curriculums and classes. This textbook could be used at the undergraduate level or even for a master’s level economics or Islamic economics course, especially in an Islamic banking and finance programme or for an MBA having a specialisation in Islamic banking and finance where an economics or Islamic economics course is offered. Furthermore, practitioners and interested readers who are seeking essential and simple knowledge about Islamic economics will also find this textbook to be a helpful guide. It is important to mention here that Islamic economics literature shows wide differences among the scholars in almost every subtopic. Presenting all opinions within a limited number of pages is almost impossible. However, with the great contribution of more than 60 scholars from a wide span of countries and from various economic schools, this book represents an important attempt to present the topics and issues from various perspectives with the maximum objectivity possible. Through comprehensive content editing, the editors have striven to improve the flow of arguments, remove inconsistencies and put the ideas together in as coherent a manner as possible. However, the editors acknowledge that some biases and overlaps may still persist.