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KembaraXtra-Islamic Finance - Islamic Capital Market -Islamic Banking
- The fundamental philosophy of Islamic banking is completely contrary to the conventional banking model, which is primarily based on a lender–borrower relationship.
- In conventional banking, the bank’s role is largely confined to lending money to customers and earning returns through interest, thereby creating a debtor–creditor dynamic.
- Islamic banking rejects the lender–borrower relationship as its core operational model, because this structure is closely associated with Riba (interest), which is strictly prohibited under Shari’ah.
- Instead of treating money lending as the main activity, Islamic banking structures its relationship with users of funds through multiple Shari’ah-compliant contractual roles, depending on the nature of the transaction.
- The relationship between an Islamic bank and the user of funds can be analysed from several perspectives, including:
- Vendor and purchaser relationship, where the bank sells goods or assets to customers rather than lending cash for their purchase.
- Investor and entrepreneur relationship, where the bank provides capital and the entrepreneur provides expertise or management, with profits and losses shared according to agreed ratios.
- Principal and agent relationship, where one party acts on behalf of the other within the boundaries set by the contract.
- Lessor and lessee relationship, where the bank owns an asset and leases it to the customer in return for rental payments.
- Transferor and transferee relationship, involving the transfer of ownership of assets rather than the extension of interest-based loans.
- Partnership relationship, where both the bank and the customer jointly participate in a business venture and share risks, profits, and losses.
- These multiple contractual forms highlight that Islamic banking is transaction-based and asset-linked, rather than debt-driven.
Conventional Finance
- In conventional finance, the benefits of strategic partnerships between banks and customers are not fully maximised.
- The relationship is largely restricted to a debtor–creditor framework, where depositors lend money to the bank and expect guaranteed returns through interest.
- This structure limits cooperation, shared risk, and long-term economic collaboration between the bank and its customers.
- Islamic banking recognises multiple contractual relationships for deposits and liabilities, including:
- Depositor–custodian relationship, where the bank acts as a trustee or custodian of deposited funds rather than treating them purely as interest-bearing liabilities.
- Lender–borrower relationship free from Riba, where any lending arrangement must strictly avoid interest and comply with Shari’ah principles.
- Investor–entrepreneur relationship, where deposited funds may be invested in productive ventures, and profits and losses are shared rather than guaranteed.
- These relationships allow Islamic banks to engage depositors as participants in economic activity, rather than as passive lenders.
Difference in Financing/Asset for Contractual Relationship
Conventional Finance / Banking
- Similar to deposit relationships, strategic alliances in conventional financing arrangements often fail to be fully utilised.
- Financing is typically structured around interest-based loans, where the bank provides funds without engaging in the underlying economic activity.
- The bank’s involvement ends with loan disbursement and interest collection, resulting in limited collaboration with clients.
- Islamic banking replaces interest-based financing with alternative Shari’ah-compliant contractual relationships, including:
- Purchaser–seller relationship, where the bank buys and sells assets instead of providing cash loans.
- Lessee–lessor relationship, where financing is provided through leasing arrangements rather than lending.
- Principal–agent relationship, allowing banks to act on behalf of clients or appoint clients to act on their behalf in transactions.
- Entrepreneur–investor relationship, where the bank directly participates in business ventures through capital contribution.
- These financing relationships demonstrate that Islamic banking focuses on asset ownership, risk sharing, and real economic participation.
Overall Distinction
- Unlike conventional banks, Islamic banks do not engage in interest-based activities such as loan provision with interest charges.
- Instead, Islamic banking relies on alternative financial contracts that comply with Shari’ah principles to conduct banking operations.
- This approach enables Islamic banking to promote ethical finance, shared responsibility, and genuine economic activity, distinguishing it clearly from conventional banking systems.
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