Islamic Finance

In the last of this two-part series, we examine why a DIY will may leave Muslim families exposed to overlooked debts, vulnerable heirs, inadequate provision for children and legal complications, and why Islamic estate planning matters. Walk into any bank, stationery shop or browse the internet and...

By MAHMOOD SANGLAY A halal label can lower an investor’s guard precisely when vigilance is most needed. Recent cases show how faith, community endorsements and promises of exceptional returns may be engineered to convert religious trust into financial loss. The danger has a name: affinity fraud. It...

By MOHAMED JAFFER Death may come without warning, yet many Muslims postpone drafting a valid Islamic will. Proper planning protects spouses and children, honours Allah’s inheritance laws and prevents grief from becoming a costly legal crisis for them. “It won’t happen to me.” Those are perhaps the...

By MAHMOOD SANGLAY The genocide in Gaza has exposed a grave fault line in Islamic finance: funds can exclude alcohol, gambling and interest yet invest in companies linked to occupation and warfare.  Can a portfolio be technically halal while enabling injustice today? The uncomfortable answer is yes...

MAHMOOD SANGLAY Across Nigeria, motorists travel on roads financed through sukuk, with capital tied to identifiable public assets. This link between money and infrastructure is moving Islamic finance from a faith-based niche to an African development tool. On a conventional government balance sheet, borrowing can look like...

By MAHMOOD SANGLAY As climate change accelerates and the search for ethical ways to finance the green transition intensifies, Islamic finance is emerging as more than a faith-based financial system. Three recent studies suggest it offers practical tools to mobilise capital, empower entrepreneurs and align economic growth...

MOGAMAT ALI SALIE First Abu Dhabi Bank’s legal victory in South Africa is about far more than trademarks. It could pave the way for one of the world’s largest Islamic banking institutions to enter Africa’s most sophisticated financial market, opening new opportunities for ethical finance, investment and...

MAHMOOD SANGLAY Family takaful promises long-term protection for dependants, education and retirement. Yet a landmark review finds that researchers know far more about consumers’ intentions than whether the industry truly protects underserved families. Family takaful is meant to turn mutual care into practical protection. Participants contribute to...

Mahmoud Bekri, left, and Mohyedine Hajjar warn that innovation without ethical oversight could instead automate bias and deepen financial exclusion.   MAHMOOD SANGLAY Takaful promises protection through mutual care, yet millions remain excluded and participants cannot always see how funds are managed. Could artificial intelligence and blockchain...

Islamic finance may ease the cost of pilgrimage, but the Saudi kingdom's Nusuk system is likely to result in exclusion. MAHMOOD SANGLAY examines who benefits when Hajj and Umrah are reorganised around digital control and commercial gain, and who loses. Hajj is not an ordinary journey and...