A data-driven perspective on Islamic finance

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

To some, Sharia-compliant financial services offer a promising path towards expanding financial inclusion among Muslim adults.

To others, these services – which avoid charging interest and seek to conform to Islamic principles of profit- and loss-sharing – do not address the root causes of financial exclusion. But most agree that there is a dearth of empirical research that measures the degree to which Muslims are using Sharia-compliant financial products, their demand for it, and the extent to which they refrain from using conventional financial systems. Without data and related analysis, policymakers and private sector leaders are often speculative in framing the role of Islamic finance within the financial inclusion agenda.

Source: Global Arab Network (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Education
Tags
financial inclusion, Islamic finance, research