Islamic Finance And Law

This book provides an overview of the practice of Islamic finance and the historical roots that define its modes of operation. The focus of the book is analytical and forward-looking. It shows that Islamic finance exists mainly as a form of rent-seeking legal-arbitrage. In every aspect of finance - from personal loans to investment banking, and from market structure to corporate governance - Islamic finance aims to replicate in Islamic forms the substantive functions of contemporary financial instruments, markets, and institutions. By attempting to replicate the substance of contemporary financial practice using pre-modern contract forms, Islamic finance has arguably failed to serve the objectives of Islamic law. This book proposes refocusing Islamic finance on substance rather than form. This approach would entail abandoning the paradigm of 'Islamization' of every financial practice. It would also entail reorienting the brand-name of Islamic finance to emphasize issues of community banking, micro-finance, and socially responsible investment.

This work is a practical and commercial guide to the fundamental principles of Islamic finance and their application to Islamic finance transactions. Islamic finance is a rapidly expanding, global industry and this book is designed to provide a practical treatment of the subject. It includes discussion and analysis of the negotiation and structure involved in Islamic finance transactions, with relevant case studies, structure diagrams and precedent material supporting the commentary throughout. An introductory section describes the theoretical background and explains the principles (and their sources) of Islamic law which underpin Islamic finance practices, providing an important backdrop to the work as a whole. The work also considers the role of Shariah supervisory boards, Islamic financial institutions and the relevance of accounting approaches. The work adopts an international perspective to reflect the pan-global nature of the industry and accepted practices, with the aim to bring together different schools of thought applied in international Islamic finance transactions. It also highlights any regional differences in accepted practice by reviewing the position in the Gulf states, Asia, the UK and Europe and the USA. The second part of the book concentrates on Islamic financial law in practice and begins with a section on financial techniques. This section explains the basic requirements for Islamic finance contracts both in terms of the underlying asset types and also both the applicability and acceptability of the underlying asset. There is a full discussion of the various types of contractual models such as Mudaraba (trustee finance), Musharaka (partnership or joint venture), Murabaha (sale of goods), and Sukuk (participation securities: coupons etc). The nascent area of Takaful (insurance) is also covered as are matters specific to the important field of project and asset finance.

Islamic commercial and financial practice has not experienced the trial-and-error style of development that has characterised the development of the common law in the English-speaking world. Many of the principles, rules and practices prevalent in the Islamic law of contract, commerce, finance and property remain the same as those outlined by the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad, and expounded by scholars of jurisprudence as far back as the 13th century, despite the advancement in time and sophistication of commercial interaction. Hanaan Balala here demonstrates how, in order to bridge the gap between the principles outlined by the Quran and the Prophet in the 7th century and commercial practice in the 21st century, Islamic finance jurisdictions need to open themselves to learning from the experience (including the mistakes) of the English common law. 'Islamic Finance and Law: Theory and Practice in a Globalized World' provides an analysis of the fundamental principles underlying the Islamic law of contract and commercial practice in comparison with their equivalents in common law in the English-speaking world. It seeks to draw parallels (and differences where appropriate) to facilitate the growth and development of Islamic commercial and financial law globally.

Mirroring the expansion of wealth in the Middle East and Asia and a surge in Islamic self-identity, Islamic banking practices have either become the law of the land or coexist and compete with Western practices in at least six countries. A growing number of institutions and mutual funds (akin to Western ''socially responsible'' funds) have established Islamic investment and other practices to cater to this burgeoning market. Because of its prevalence, practitioners in every banking-related area must familiarize themselves with current Islamic finance practices in order to do business with Muslim clients and to engage in cross-border financing. Injunctions from the "Qur'an and the sayings of Prophet Muhammed have generated a web of interrelated norms which prohibit Islamic financiers from engaging in transactions that involve interest "(riba) and speculation "(gharar). "Islamic Law and Finance describes the dynamic set of Islamically-sanctioned ways financiers can transacat business.

Islamic finance’s phenomenal growth owes to the Shariah compliant nature of its financial instruments. Shariah forbids the charging of interest (Riba) and instead promulgates risk-sharing and trade-based modes of financing. The Islamic financial industry has been subject to both critique and admiration. Critics argue that Islamic instruments (bearing debt-based structures) differ from their conventional counterparts only in legal lexicon and not in economic impact. The admirers argue that such instruments, irrespective of wider economic implications, rigorously comply with ‘juristically sound’ Islamic principles. This book aims to reconcile the above dispute. It argues that the financial impact of instruments is a consequence of the way they are priced and structured. The similarity in pricing and structures is an outcome not of the underlying Islamic financial modes but of the competitive environment in which Islamic instruments compete. Even risk-sharing and trade-based Islamic structures, if implemented in such an environment, would have a financial impact similar to that of conventional instruments. This book has a wider appeal for both academic and non-academic audiences. It can complement undergraduate and graduate courses as an additional reading on the intricacies of Islamic financial instruments and markets. For PhD students, it would help identify future research areas. To non-academics, it offers a deeper understanding regarding the working of the Islamic finance industry.

Through a thorough analysis of emerging legal and regulatory issues in Islamic finance law and practice in Malaysia, this exciting new study covers issues such as blockchain technology, anti-money laundering, and FinTech in Islamic finance.

"The Oxford Handbook on Islamic Law offers a historiographic window into the scholarly treatment of a wide range of topics in the field of Islamic legal studies. Each essay, authored by an expert in the field, situates its subject in relation to historical academic scholarship. The historiographic feature of the volume is deliberate. It aims to assist readers-graduate students, scholars, and others-to appreciate the contested nature of key concepts and topics in Islamic law without taking any particular account for granted. The essays both describe and reflect on scholarly debates, and gesture to future areas of fruitful research."--webpage.