The Middle East has become the largest external supplier of imports to the European Community, and is also the EC's largest export market. Rising oll prices have not only affected the value of EC imports from the Middle East, but have also ultimately determined the ability of the Middle Eastern...

The Middle East has become the largest external supplier of imports to the European Community, and is also the EC's largest export market. Rising oll prices have not only affected the value of EC imports from the Middle East, but have also ultimately determined the ability of the Middle Eastern...

Almost three decades have passed since the founding of the first modern Islamic bank in the small Egyptian delta town of Mit Ghamr. Islamic banking has developed so remarkably in the last quarter century, that it is hard to believe that the movement is so young.The main expansion occurred in the...

Islamic finance has become increasingly significant in financial centres in the West, notably London, despite the regulatory hurdles presented by operating in a nonMuslim financial environment. The growth of Islamic finance partly reflects demand from Muslim resident and non-resident clients for...

The article by Hamid Zangeneh and Ahmad Salam is a welcome departure in the Islamic finance literature, as relatively little has been written about the role of central banks in an Islamic financial system. The authors review the major functions of central banks, and then discuss how monetary...

It is important to acknowledge earlier shortcomings in any branch of academic enquiry with hindsight, even though for many, self-criticism of one's own earlier work is often difficult. In this context it is refreshing to read Nejatullah Siddiqi, a leading pioneer of Islamic economic thought over...

As governments find it increasingly difficult to finance major projects, private sector companies are becoming involved in electricity generation, telecommunications expansion and infrastructure provision including toll roads, ports and airports. From an Islamic perspective there is no objection...

Microfinance schemes have been operational since the 1960s, however, they mostly involve conventional finance, whereas many low income Muslims would prefer to have shar¥cah compliant finance. The aim of this paper is to explore how microfinance can be provided on a shar¥cah compliant basis and...

The Political Economy of the Gulf Summary Report details research conducted at the CIRS "Political Economy of the Gulf" working group meetings held in Doha over the course of two years. The project was launched in 2009. As with other CIRS research initiatives, after a thorough review of existing...