Islam gives credence to women, certifying towards them respect, honour, dignity and equality. In the centuries prior to Islam, women were illtreated, looked upon as commodities and were given very little or any value at all. The status of women in Islam can only really be appreciated when the position of women is examined pre-Islam, known as Jahiliyyah (the period of ignorance). Conversely, the Quran generally speaks about women with high regard, respect and dignity.In the context of the days of ignorance, women through Quranic revelation were uplifted and given a new lea...

Marketing Islamic finance in new markets requires educating its consumers in its products and practices. But in marketing to its potential consumers, the Islamic finance industry has a lot to learn about branding and product offerings from the experiences of the green economy. Although the growth of Islamic finance in regions such as Malaysia and the Middle East has historically been demand driven, its growth in non-Muslim economics such as the UK has been encouraged by both supply and the Government. However, whereas the UK has managed to develop a world-c...

Despite having an established church, the UK generally maintains separation between church and state which leads to the following policy requirements:a) The same law applies to all citizens, irrespective of their religion.b) The state is not an arbiter on religious issues. For example, it has no interest in determining conflicting claims about what is Shariah compliant.c) The legal enforceability of a contract should not depend on whether it is Shariah compliant.d) Individuals and companies should be entitled to organise any form of business enterprises, provided th...

Murabahah, Muharabah, Mubaraha, Murababa, Mudharabah, Marhabah and Muhababah are all Arabic words, not necessarily pertinent to Islamic banking and finance or to anything to do with the objectives of Islamic law. However, if anyone wants to be a true professional in the field of Islamic banking and finance he or she must be able to spot which of the above words are relevant.The issue doesn’t stop here. Whether one speaks Arabic or not, identifying which of the above words is relevant to Islamic finance is the easy part. It becomes more difficult when o...