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Doing Well by Doing Good: The Nexus between Environmental Commitment and Islamic Banking Stability
Full text linkPurpose — This paper aims to investigate the impact of environmental commitment on Islamic banking stability.
Design/Methodology/Approach — The study sample consists of 32 Islamic banks across 12 countries, covering data from 2016 to 2023. Panel data estimation is employed in this study, specifically using fixed effect (FE) regression and two-stage least squares (2SLS).
Findings — The findings indicate that Islamic banks demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental practices tend to exhibit greater financial stability. Furthermore, this positive relationship is more pronounced in countries with higher levels of institutional quality, where such commitment is associated with enhanced financial resilience. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Islamic banks that engaged in environmental initiatives experienced increased financial vulnerability, suggesting context-specific limitations to the stabilising effect of environmental commitment.
Originality/Value — It also offers a more nuanced analysis by exploring the effects of specific indicators of environmental commitment and the contextual conditions under which these practices influence financial stability—areas that have been largely overlooked in previous studies.
Research Limitations/Implications — The study is limited in the number of observations, specifically the issue of data availability for environmental performance in Islamic banks.
Practical Implications — Based on the findings, the study suggests that Islamic banks need to incorporate environmental commitment in their operations, considering their positive impact on banking stability. Regulatory institutions should mandate Islamic banks to adopt and gradually implement a structured approach towards strengthening their commitment to environmental practices
Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Journal Publishing
Full text linkResponsibility in Academic Publishing
Recently, a screenshot of an academic article shared on the platform ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) caused heated debates about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic publishing. A high impact journal published by Elsevier, namely Surfaces and Interfaces, included an article in its Volume 46, March 2024 issue which contained a sentence that was inadvertently published at the beginning of its introduction: ‘Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic’. This sentence suggested that the authors used AI in the writing process of their article, but the matter was undetected during the journal’s manuscript screening and evaluation process. The scandal prompted the publishing house to initiate an internal investigation, followed by retraction of the article from the journal as non-disclosure of the use of AI was said to represent a breach of the journal’s policies. The publisher also posted an apology to its readers for its failure to detect the use of generative AI during the evaluation of the article. 
Measuring the Poverty Level of Poor and Destitute Aṣnāf in Kuala Lumpur: Application of an Enhanced Malaysian Multidimensional Poverty Index
Full text linkPurpose — This study aims to analyse the multidimensional poverty characteristics among the poor and destitute aṣnāf (zakat recipients) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Design/Methodology/Approach — This study conducts a quantitative analysis to empirically measure the poverty scenario of the aṣnāf using the enhanced Malaysian Multidimensional Poverty Index (MMPI). The proposed enhanced MMPI is based on the redesigned Malaysia MPI, utilising the Alkire-Foster counting methodology.
Findings — The results corroborate the benefits of utilising an enhanced MMPI, since it effectively encompasses a wider range of deprivation areas among the aṣnāf community. It is found that most of the poor and destitute aṣnāf are deprived of coverage in health insurance, followed by access to means of communication and access to online learning. In addition, around 94.7 per cent of the aṣnāf households are categorised as multidimensional poor, with an average deprivation recorded at 50.1 per cent.
Originality/Value — While existing studies predominantly rely on acute poverty measures that emphasise aggregate national-level indicators, this study contributes to the body of literature by proposing an enhanced MMPI framework that incorporates locally and contextually relevant indicators. It advances beyond conventional measures of acute poverty and could serve as a model for other regions in refining their poverty measurement frameworks.
Research Limitations/Implications — The analysis of the study was conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which encompasses 11 parliamentary areas. Hence, the findings of the study may not be generalised to other states or other zakat institutions in Malaysia, although the results provide valuable input on the deprivation aspect that poor and des
titute aṣnāf could experience.
Practical Implications — The enhanced MMPI supplements monetary indicators with insightful disparities in observed poverty levels, aiming to increase its impact in improving well-being among the aṣnāf
Constructing Ethnographic Protocols for Zakat Studies in the Muslim Community
Full text linkPurpose — This study aims to construct ethnographic protocols to investigate the social and cultural elements associated with zakat. Despite Islamic scholarship articulating the values associated with zakat, most existing research has focused on quantitative approaches, leaving a significant gap in the exploration of the social and cultural dimensions of zakat.
Design/Methodology/Approach — This study employed a systematic review of 21 selected authoritative textbooks and journal articles that addressed research worldview, agenda, methodology, and qualitative data analysis starting from 1979 to 2024. Furthermore, to bolster this initiative, 32 additional pertinent sources have been incorporated. The study reaffirms the notion of the rarity of ethnographic style within the broader scientific landscape, as evidenced by the publication of 722 articles in the Web of Science. The data generated were subjected to a qualitative content analysis procedure, which included decontextualisation, recontextualisation, categorisation, and compilation.
Findings — This study has constructed protocols that incorporate an Islamic worldview and a pro-Islam agenda, utilising flexible strategies, ethnographic design, and robust data collection methods. Additionally, they encompass appropriate data analysis techniques, measures for validity, and effective data presentation. Findings demonstrate significant insights into the social roles of zakat, emphasising its role in strengthening community ties and enhancing social welfare and reinforcing shared values within the Muslim community. Zakat functions not only as an economic mechanism for wealth redistribution but also as a cultural institution that fosters solidarity, mutual responsibility, and religious identity. The ethnographic approach highlights how zakat practices are deeply embedded in communal traditions, shaping social relationships and reinforcing ethical and spiritual commitments among Muslims.
Originality/Value — Zakat is often perceived as an economic instrument that helps in maintaining economic balance in society by circulating wealth from the rich to the poor. Zakat is importantly a social tool that ensures the social welfare of the needy. Understanding zakat in a societal context is essential for enhancing social cohesion and promoting economic redistribution within Muslim communities. In this regard, the study enriches the zakat discourse by shedding light on its social and cultural dimensions, which are often overlooked in academic discussions.
Research Limitations/Implications — Acknowledging the limitations of this approach, further exploration into the dynamic relationship between zakat and social structures is needed.
Practical Implications — This study contributes to zakat research by providing a comprehensive framework for qualitative inquiry, with implications for future research, policy, and practice in Muslim communities
Factors Influencing Switching Intention in Islamic Banking in Indonesia’s Muslim Community
Full text linkAbstract
Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of satisfaction, perceived herd, perceived security, perceived price, switching cost, and social presence on customer’s switching intention from Islamic banks to conventional banks in the context of an Islamic bank hack.
Design/methodology/approach - The study was conducted with 211 respondents from Muslim communities in Indonesia, specifically targeting customers of Islamic banks. The data were analysed using SmartPLS software with the SEM method.
Findings - The findings indicate that perceived security and customer satisfaction play crucial roles in customers' intentions to switch from Islamic banks to conventional banks. Conversely, perceived herd, price, social presence, and switching cost have less significant impacts.
Originality/Value - This study uniquely integrates the concepts of perceived herd, social presence, and satisfaction to provide a comprehensive understanding of customers' switching intention in the context of Islamic banks in Indonesia, particularly following a bank hack. It contributes to the literature by exploring the interplay between social influence and security concerns, which has been less examined in Islamic banking in Indonesia. In doing so, it offers new insights for developing customer retention strategies.
Research limitations/implications - The study's limitations include a limited sample size and a focus on a specific community, which reduces generalisability of the findings.
Practical implications - Islamic banks should prioritise enhancing perceived security and customer satisfaction through robust cybersecurity measures and high-quality services
Social implications - The study's findings emphasise the importance of customer satisfaction and security in maintaining customer loyalty in the Islamic banking industry in Indonesia
 
Journal Rebranding: Safeguarding Academic Integrity and Indexing Compliance
Full text linkA New Name, Preserved Academic Integrity
It has now been over a year since ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance
(IJIF) was rebranded as International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development (IJIFSD) in September 2024. The decision to change the journal’s name was guided by scholarly and strategic considerations to expand the scope of the journal and embrace an interdisciplinary orientation. The journal now explicitly integrates Islamic finance, sustainability, and development-oriented research. The new title reinforces the journal’s relevance in the rapidly evolving global financial landscape and aligns its research focus with the growing scholarly emphasis of key themes such as sustainability, social impact, financial inclusion, and responsible finance within the Islamic economics discourse. This change in the journal’s strategic vision followed a collaborative publication initiative between INCEIF University and the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) to support the Journal’s open and free access to all stakeholders.
Despite the new identity, the name change does not signal a departure from the journal’s founding principles. In terms of journal policies, IJIFSD continues to remain committed to meeting and sustaining the quality benchmarks expected of the former title’s Scopus-indexed and ESCI-indexed status, including editorial governance, double-blind peer review process, international authorship, publication ethics, citation integrity, and adherence to internationally recognised standards such as COPE principles. To maintain the quality standards of IJIFSD, authors are encouraged to submit high-quality, original research that contributes to both theoretical advancement and practical impact in Islamic finance and sustainable development.
Managing the Journal Transition
Importantly, the name change of IJIFSD had to be managed responsibly so that it does not affect the journal’s publication continuity, academic integrity and indexing status. In fact, all articles published under the former title, IJIF, retain their validity, citation integrity, and archival permanence, ensuring continuity of the scholarly record. The renamed journal, IJIFSD, was published as a continuation of the volume and issue number from the earlier title; nonetheless, it required a new e-ISSN for the journal and new DOI for published articles. 
The Role of Waqf in Achieving Food Security: A Netnographic Study
Full text linkPurpose — Millions of people in many countries are facing food crises, hunger, and malnutrition. While various initiatives have been started, more innovation is needed to address these issues. This study aims to explore the potential role of waqf (Islamic endowment) in achieving food security.
Design/Methodology/Approach — The netnographic approach and text mining technique are used to explore available and relevant data from the internet. Orange Data Mining is used to assist in analysing the collected data.
Findings — This study reveals that waqf may become a sustainable means of achieving food security in both the green and blue economy. Idle waqf lands may be considered as agricultural lands and may help prevent land conversion. Cash and various hybrid waqf can be invested in the real sector to increase food production and improve food distribution. Several success stories on the use of waqf in the agricultural, animal husbandry, and fisheries sectors are elaborated.
Originality/Value — This study attempts to integrate waqf and food security, an approach which has been rarely covered in previous studies. This represents pioneering research that utilises a netnographic approach in this field. The current study is expected to shed more light on the present and future contributions of waqf in addressing the global issue of food security.
Research Limitations/Implications — This research used specific keywords to identify relevant webinars and videos related to food security. There is a possibility that relevant videos which use other keywords were not included in this study.
Practical Implications — A national scale collaboration project to showcase the role of waqf as a form of sustainable finance to achieve food security is necessary. In parallel, relevant authorities may consider utilising waqf assets and issuing required regulations to enable waqf as an alternative form of sustainable finance in promoting food security
Self-Realisation Theory: Addressing the Interplay of Faith and Human Needs Beyond Self-Determination Theory
Full text linkPurpose — This paper introduces the Self-Realisation Theory (SRT) as a faith-inclusive alternative to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Grounded in the Islamic Tawḥīdī worldview, SRT expands the scope of human motivation and flourishing by adding the need for immortality or felicity to SDT’s three needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness to provide a more comprehensive explanation of human well-being.
Design/Methodology/Approach — The study employs a conceptual and comparative methodology. It critically examines the secular foundations of SDT, contrasting with SRT within the Islamic worldview. A theoretical model and an empirical framework are proposed to evaluate SRT’s explanatory power relative to SDT.
Findings — The analysis reveals that while SDT provides a robust account of motivation across disciplines, it neglects the existential human need for eternity and role of faith in fulfilling basic human needs. This approach redefines fulfilment as arising not from self-sufficiency but from acknowledgment of human limitations and submission to God.
Originality/Value — Unlike SDT’s secular orientation, SRT adds theological and metaphysical depth, offering a more holistic model of human motivation with a comprehensive understanding of human needs. This contribution bridges psychology, economics, and theology, enriching the literature with an integrative framework.
Research Limitations — Theoretical in nature, the framework requires empirical validation across cultural and religious contexts.
Practical Implications — SRT can inform various disciplines by reframing autonomy, competence, and relatedness in relation to faith, and by recognising immortality as a fundamental motivator.
Social Implications — By integrating faith into human need theories, SRT provides a basis for promoting deeper well-being, resilience, and meaning in diverse societies
Examining Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Islamic Mobile Banking Services in Indonesia: Insights into Technology, Customer Behaviour, and Shari’ah Compliance
Full text linkPurpose - This study examines the main factors influencing the adoption of Islamic mobile banking (IMB), considering technology, behaviour, and Sharia compliance. The integration of these factors in IMB adoption research remains notably limited. This research provided a comprehensive framework by extending the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour and incorporating Sharia compliance.
Design/Methodology/Approach - The study utilizes survey data collected from 1161 IMB users in Indonesia. It uses the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling technique to examine the impact of antecedents on the intention to adopt IMB.
Findings - The results indicate that perceived usefulness and ease of use, as well as other pertinent behavioural factors such as attitude, subjective norms, and sharia compliance, positively and significantly influenced the adoption of IMB. However, the construct of perceived behaviour control has not impacted the Customer Satisfaction.
Originality/Value - This study contributes by integrating diverse theories to offer insights into the nature of technology adoption, specifically focusing on mobile banking.
Research Limitations/Implications - This study offers theoretical implications by introducing new insights into IMB adoption through the integration of technology, customer behaviour, and Sharīʿahcompliance dimensions. Future studies can further build upon this research by incorporating additional dimensions.
Practical Implications - From a managerial standpoint, the study provides guidance for Islamic banks in developing IMB products, emphasising not only technological aspects but also focusing on customer behaviour and Sharīʿahcompliance. Socially, the research highlights that IMB services are designed to uphold Sharīʿahprinciples, ensuring that customers’rights to receive services that align with their religious values are respected.
Towards a Suitable Micro-Takāful Plan in Malaysia: Benefits and Coverage Preferences of Low-Income B40 Groups
Full text linkPurpose–This paper explores the required types of benefits and coverage amount for mico-takaful from the perspectives of the bottom 40 percent of households income (B40) against their demographic profiles.
Findings – The findings reveal two distinct categories of coverage amounts preferred by respondents: RM5,001–RM10,000 for essential coverage and RM50,000–RM100,000 for more comprehensive protection. Additionally, the results highlight that preferences for benefits and coverage amounts vary significantly across demographic groups, with younger respondents favouring lower coverage due to affordability, and older respondents prioritizing higher coverage for long-term security.
Research limitations/implications – This study focuses on consumer preferences, with limited attention to supply-side challenges faced by takaful providers. Future research should include a more representative sample, explore provider constraints, and consider longitudinal studies to capture evolving preferences. Additionally, the use of cross-tabulation limits the analysis to basic associations. Advanced methods are recommended for deeper insights.
Practical implications – The findings offer actionable insights for takaful providers in designing micro-takaful products tailored to the specific needs and financial capabilities of the B40 group. By aligning product offerings with customer preferences, takaful providers can enhance product adoption and contribute to improved financial security among the underserved population.
Originality/Value — This paper addresses a critical gap in the literature by examining micro-takāful benefits and coverage preferences from the customers’ perspectives. It offers a fresh understanding of customer needs, enabling takāful providers to design products that better resonate with the B40 income group.
Research Limitations/Implications — This study focuses on consumer preferences, with limited attention to supply-side challenges faced by takāful providers. Future research should include a more representative sample, explore takāful providers’ constraints, and consider longitudinal studies to capture evolving preferences. Additionally, the use of cross-tabulation limits the analysis to basic associations. Advanced methods are recommended for deeper insights.
Practical Implications — The findings offer actionable insights for takāful providers in designing micro-takāful products tailored to the specific needs and financial capabilities of the B40 group. By aligning product offerings with customer preferences, takāful providers can enhance product adoption and contribute to improved financial security among the underserved population.