Islamic finance contracts

Book excerpt: This book deals with an old subject, Islamic Finance contracts. Yet, it is very new and unique in its approach, ideas and arguments. The book classifies Islamic finance contracts in three categories; the first category consists of seven classical finance contracts whose details are given in the classical writings of Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), although in no other Fiqh publication these contracts are depicted and distinguished as specifically financing contracts. The second category consists of what I call traditional hybrid Islamic contracts which came about as a result of the 1970’s startup stage of Islamic banking and the search of Shari’ah compliant contracts which fit a process of financial intermediation. The third category consists of Islamic finance contracts which came about during the takeoff and open expansion stage of Islamic banking especially in the first decade of the new millennium. The uniqueness of the book comes from its approach of blending the legal description, conditions and requirements of each Islamic Finance contract with the economic and financial circumstances within which the contract fits and also from the emphasis on the financial consequences of each of the Islamic finance contracts. The book is also unique in bringing about comparison with contracts used in the conventional Western style finance transactions. It is an attempt of formulating the main elements of a general theory of Islamic finance which is internally coherent and also consistent with other components of Islamic economics. Descriptor(s): ISLAMIC ECONOMICS | FINANCING | CONTRACTS | TRANSACTIONS (ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE) | SILENT PARTNERSHIP | OWNERSHIP | INVESTMENTS | PROFITS | ISLAMIC BANKS