You can find the presentations HERE.
Any questions/concerns email us at inquiries@if-ec.com
Why are you going to the Islamic Finance Conference Tomorrow?
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Twitter: @IslamFinanceEC
Interesting commentary on Islamic finance by an ‘Occupy’ protester.
Islamic financial practices have the potential to benefit more than just Muslims and the message is spreading.
January 30th, 2012
The Islamic Finance Conference Through an Organizer’s Eyes
No Comments, Uncategorized, by Hanifah.Dear world,
As you already know, the Islamic finance conference is due to take place soon! March 11th is right around the corner, and it is crucial that we get the word out to as many people as possible. This task is not an easy one, and it would be a shame if only a handful of people heard of this amazing conference.
I don’t feel the need to convince you of the importance for this event to take place, as you already have heard of the double dip recession we are currently riding. And as Chairman Bernanke recently stated, there is a long way to recovery.
So what do centuries-old Islamic principles have to do with current economic affairs? Enough for the Vatican to recommend the use Islamic financial instruments like Sukuk (Islamic bonds) to assist banks in their recovery from the 2008 financial crisis.
Alas, learning is great, and hearing ways that Islamic finance can alleviate our global economic struggle is wonderful, but how will this event help you? Many qualified and respected scholars will be accompanied by experienced IF practitioners who will discuss how you can finance under shariah compliance. All too many individuals are stuck in life-long interest-bearing mortgages with no way out. We have speakers from Guidance Residential who will discuss how to’s in that area. How about individuals, like myself, who are interested investing in the stock market without crossing any Islamic boundaries? What’s wrong with making some extra cash while investing in companies that are halaal? Representatives from Noriba Trade will show you how.
So now you can see how this conference, in one day, aims to address as many relevant IF topics as possible. This is something you really don’t want to miss.
Now that I have got you excited 
, I would like to ask a favor of you. If you would please forward this to any listservs you are on, or any colleagues, family, friends, groups (MSA, business societies).. etc, I would greatly appreciate it. We don’t want to deprive anyone around us of this crucial information.
-Hanifah Dasti
Lead Event Organizer
January 20th, 2012
Giving credit where credit is due, the true father of economics – Ibn Khaldun
Comments Off, Islamic Finance, by Hanifah.
Ibn Khaldun, Father of Economics…
In his Prolegomena (The Muqaddimah), ‘Abd al-Rahman Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaldun al-Hadrami of Tunis (A.D. 1332-1406), commonly known as Ibn Khaldun, laid down the foundations of different fields of knowledge, in particular the science of civilization (al-’umran). His significant contributions to economics, however, should place him in the history of economic thought as a major forerunner, if not the “father,” of economics, a title which has been given to Adam Smith, whose great works were published some three hundred and seventy years after Ibn Khaldun’s death. Not only did Ibn Khaldun plant the germinating seeds of classical economics, whether in production, supply, or cost, but he also pioneered in consumption, demand, and utility, the cornerstones of modern economic theory.
Read More Here
Islamic financing is financial activity that is consistent with the principles of Islamic law (Sharia) and its practical application through the development of Islamic economics. Sharia prohibits the fixed or floating payment or acceptance of specific interest or fees (known as Riba or usury) for loans of money. Investing in businesses that provide goods or services considered contrary to Islamic principles is also Haraam (forbidden). While these principles may have been applied to historical Islamic economies, it is only in the late 20th century that a number of Islamic banks were formed to apply these principles to private or semi-private commercial institutions within the Muslim community. The field has quickly expanded into an industry valued at over 500 billion dollars, involving corporations, law firms, and religious advisers, who devise shari’a-compliant bonds, partnerships, private equity deals and mortgages. This phenomenon has reached the US; several US-based banks have emerged and dozens of American law firms have opened offices in the Gulf region or cultivated a practice niche from their US offices.
That being said, Islamic finance remains a mystery to many, and to others who are deeply familiar with it, it remains a realm of open debate, as many points relating to the theory and application of Islamic finance are hotly contested. This conference aims to both provide basic information about Islamic finance and provide a forum for its critical examination.
Questions we aim to address at the conference:
- What is Islamic finance?
- What are some factors for growth of Islamic Finance in the West
- What is the regulatory environment to support Shari’a Compliant financing?
- What are some alternative financial structures that are Shari’a compliant?
- How is the performance of Islamic Banks vs. Conventional?
- What is the social impact (fail or success) of Islamic Finance and Banking (in theory vs. practice)
- What can be said about Islamic mortgages in the US
- What are some recent Challenges to Shari’ah and Islamic Finance in the US?
- Is there any crossover of Islamic Finance and Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)?
These are only a few of the topics to be discussed at the conference. If you have any further questions please email us at inquiries@if-ec.com.
Thank you.
Format of the event:
Day-long conference to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park
More information to come. Stay posted