Heaven's Bankers

Heaven's Bankers

15,405 Followers

Inside the Hidden World of Islamic Finance

Islamic finance is redefining the global financial landscape. But is it really a transparent solution to ethical banking? Can it maintain its ideals of social justice, or is it guilty of the very dangers that it seeks to avoid? Harris Irfan's blog expands on the themes in his critically acclaimed book, Heaven's Bankers, the only insider's narrative about the Islamic finance industry.
By Harris Irfan    8 years ago
The Nature of Money
Conscious Capitalism - Banking and the role of religion. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.ISLAMIC BANKING AND CONSCIOUS CAPITALISMAt the January 2010 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the erudite and prolific Sharia scholar, Muhammad Taqi Usmani, was invited to present a paper with a somewhat radical theme: reforming the world’s post-crisis financial la...
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Could Islamic finance save capitalism?
The Royal Exchange in London - founded in the 16th century as a centre of commerce for the City of London. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.    In 2010, the World Economic Forum invited a theologian to speak on the subject of an alternative economic system, putting stewardship of our planet at its core.  The unassuming but renowned scholar of Islamic juri...
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Adair Turner on the politics of finance, Harris Irfan on Islamic finance, Charles Calomiris on the failure of government, and novelist Maggie Gee keeping it real by turning her wrath on the bankers on the 75th anniversary of Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03w0110 This post was originally published in heavensbankers.com, on 6 June...
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Harris Irfan talks to Manuela Saragosa on the BBC World Service: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02cf0rb This post was originally published in heavensbankers.com, on 27 November 2014.
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
World Islamic Economic Forum comes to Dubai
British Surprise: UK announces sukuk plans.  Yes, I know it’s a picture of David Cameron from last year’s conference in London.  That was him telling the world London was open for Islamic business, and proving it by announcing the issuance of a £200 million sovereign sukuk. It was once again the turn of the British to deliver the surprise at...
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Sean Moncrieff of Ireland’s leading radio talk show, Newstalk, interviews Harris Irfan: http://www.newstalk.ie/player/home/Moncrieff/Highlights_from_Moncrieff/60992/ This post was originally published in heavensbankers.com, on 13 August 2014.
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Introduction to Islamic Finance at Oxford University
Many thanks to Said Business School for hosting me. Part 1: Interview Part 2: Presentation This post was originally published in heavensbankers.com, on 25 January 2015.
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Islamic banking is gaining in popularity among non-Muslim customers. CNN’s Jim Boulden speaks with Harris Irfan, author of Heaven’s Bankers and MD of EIIB-Rasmala, Tirad Al Mahmoud, CEO of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and Sultan Choudhury, CEO of Islamic Bank of Britain. This post was originally published in heavensbankers.com, on 26 November 2014.
By Harris Irfan    9 years ago
Living Islam
Courtesy of ALIWAY for Living Islam I had the pleasure of joining the UK’s largest gathering of Muslims earlier this month. Dubbed the Muslim Glastonbury by some elements of the press, it’s nothing of the sort. More like the Muslim Hay-on-Wye. With 5000 ticket holders, many of whom camped on site, the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the UK’s...