Ensuring Shariah rules and principles are adhered to is one of the ultimate responsibilities of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs). IFIs carry out this responsibility through establishing Shariah review and audit functions within their institutions. The role of the Shariah compliance audit provides independent assessment and objective assurance designed to value-add and improve the level of confidence of the IFI’s compliance with Shariah.

For financial institutions, measuring and managing market and credit risk is a relatively straightforward process done through established tools, models and methodologies.

Stress-testing is essential to banks and regulators. It forms the backbone of a bank’s ICAAP (Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process), and answers whether a bank could withstand extreme but plausible scenarios which would impact its profitability, liquidity, and capital adequacy.

The convergence between ESG finance and Islamic finance represents an immense opportunity for the Shariah finance industry. Analysts have estimated the ESG investment sector to be worth some US$35 trillion – Islamic ESG finance, however, is only a minor fraction of this booming industry. How and why?

In a clear win for secured parties, a recent Dubai case proves the veracity and value of an LLC share pledge following the reforms of the 2015 UAE Commercial Companies Law.

On 16 June 2022, the Prime Minister issued a Decree organizing the sale of units in real estate development projects, whether residential or touristic, to ensure buyers’ rights are protected.

The Securities and Commodities Authority (the “SCA”) has recently issued two decisions amending certain provisions of the SCA Resolution No. 13 of 2021 Concerning the Booklet of the Rules of Financial Activities and the Status Rectification Mechanism (“Rulebook”).

Robust treasury management is essential to both conventional and Islamic banks. Banks with strong treasury capabilities are able to position themselves effectively against liquidity and market risks which impact performance and threaten survival during periods of extreme stress, such as the Global Financial Crisis, 2007-9.

In one of the largest judgements issued by the DIFC Courts, the Court has granted Immediate Judgment to nine banks following the failure by the borrower and eight guarantors to re-pay AED1.9 billion syndicated conventional and Islamic facilities (and other failures).

Islamic Sustainable Finance & Investment, the new product and portal by REDmoney, the Islamic finance industry’s leading media group, will officially launch on Monday 9ᵗʰ May 2022.