Chapter in Book

The primary goal of this paper is to explore the viability of initiating Islamic finance (IF) in an unchartered economy. Canada is taken as a case study for this paper. To achieve our objective, we proceed in two stages. The first stage involves the analysis of market opportunities for IF. More precisely, the first stage involves the cost/benefit analysis which would enable the IF industry to see whether it is feasible for them to initiate. Second, the more challenging stage involves the analysis with regard to the barriers in offering IF products.

The capital structure choices of a firm not only determine the current value of the firm, but also largely determine its long-term survival. Modigliani and Miller's seminal 1958 paper explicates conventional firms' capital structure choices. However, we are yet to develop a solid theoretical framework about the financing decisions of Islamic firms. This is a review chapter on current developments in the field of Islamic capital structure. The chapter starts with a short discussion about the various sources of capital and their advantages and disadvantages, followed by a detailed description of traditional capital structure theories and their real-world empirical evidence. Finally, it discusses how the capital structure decision for Islamic firms differs from that for conventional firms, and the role sukuk, dual-banking system, and debt threshold play in determining Islamic firms' capital structure

This chapter aims to logically show that the contemporary structure of shariah supervisory boards in banks have to move towards a more aggressive compliance mode to ensure Islamic banks meet the regulatory requirements fully for all processes involved in providing shariah compliant products and services, since the industry has been in operation for more than five decades. The rapid growth of Islamic finance in recent years; something similar to other new financial products in historical times; has attracted many financial institutions, who are taking a keen interest in this growth sector.

Although Islam was introduced to South East Asia through traders in the 12th century and gained wide acceptance throughout the region in the 14th and 15th centruries (McDonnel, 1986; Ishak & Abdullah, 2012), the earliest hajj undertakings began only in 1849 (Baharudin, 2014). At that time, Malaysia then Malaya was a British colony. However, under the Pangkor Treaty of 1874, the British pledged that they would not interfere in the religion, customs and traditions of the Malays (Baharudin, 2014).