Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
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An Introduction to Islamic Banking and Finance The history, role and future of Islamic Banking
Warren Edwardes, ceo, Delphi Risk Management Ltd• Presentation to The Financial Services and Banking
Department of the Dubai Men's College • at The Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance• London, 19th April 2004• Full article on: http://dc3.co.uk/islamicbanking.htm• Islamic banking news: http:// dc3.co.uk/ibnews
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
2/27
QuotesHappy the man who far from schemes of
business, like the early generations of mankind, ploughs and ploughs again his ancestral land with oxen of his own breeding, with no yoke of usury on his neck.
Roman philosopher, Horace
Julius Caesar limited interest to 8 1/3 %
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
3/27
QuotesNeither a borrower nor a lender be; For loan oft
loses both itself and friend and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
Shakespeare’s «hamlet», a Danish father advising his son
UK usury laws on excessive interest abolished in 1854
South Africa and US (except Virginia and Delaware) have usury laws
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
4/27
QuotesThose who devour usury will not stand except
as stands one whom the evil one by his touch hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "trade is like usury but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury.”
The Koran: Surah 2, verse 275
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
5/27
Latin Jargon used by lawyers
• In haec verba
– Verbatim
• nunc pro tunc
– Retroactive
• Caveat emptor
– Let the buyer beware
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
6/27
Greek Jargon used by derivatives dealers
• Delta
– Sensitivity of an option price to changes in the price of the underlying equity
• Theta
– Sensitivity of an option price to changes in time
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
7/27
Arabic Jargon used by Islamic bankers
• Alwadiah
– Safe keeping
• Baimuajjal
– Deferred-payment sale
• Baisalam
– Pre-paid purchase
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
8/27
Jargon Arabic - used by Islamic bankers
• Ijara
– Leasing
• Muqarada
– Mudaraba
• Mudaraba
– Profit-sharing
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
9/27
Jargon Arabic - used by Islamic bankers
• Murabaha or Shirka
– Cost-plus or mark-up
• Musharaka
– Equity participation
• Qard Hasan
– Benevolent loan (interest free)
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
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Overview
• Hallal vs. Haram
– Not just about Hallal mutton curry but also about a way of life
– This is including finance
• Interest, usury, riba used interchangeably
• Essentially three dimensions of Islamic products1. Riba free - Profits and loss sharing PLS
2. Riba free - Mark up
3. Ethical dimension
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
11/27
Overview – Profit & Loss Sharing• Profit & Loss Sharing
– basically, no pain no gain
• Venture capital, non-recourse project finance, equity investment vs lending
• US / UK banking vs German, Japanese, Spanish banking
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
12/27
Overview - Markup
• Mark up - predetermined profit.– Predominates 87% Pakistan, 63% Iran– Investors’ risk aversion– Borrowers’ protection of equity interests
• Tax similarities - interest versus capital gains tax• Interpretations change
– Treasury bills, foreign exchange, zero coupons, circular transactions.
• Various jurisdictions / opinions– Gulf, Malaysia, London
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
13/27
Overview - Ethics
• Ethical dimension - undesirable investments sectors
– Tobacco
– Alcohol
– Armaments
– Gambling
• Charitable aspects
– Interest donated to charity
– Can the borrower afford to repay?
– Faith does not mean soft option.
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
14/27
Brief History• 1963 Egypt interest free savings banks
– Not overtly Islamic - invested in trade and industry
– Share of profits
• 1971 Egypt Nasr social bank
– Still no overt reference to Islam
• 1975 Islamic development bank
– Jeddah. Conference of Islamic finance ministers1973
– Fee based and PLS
– Revolving capital
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
15/27
Brief History
• 1970’s Dubai Islamic bank, Faisal Islamic bank of Sudan / Egypt, Bahrain Islamic bank
• Malaysia, Philippines, Nigeria, Indonesia
• Islamic finance house, Luxembourg, DMI Geneva, Al Rajhi London
• Denmark, Australia, south Africa
• HSBC Amanah fund, ANZ first ANZ International Murabaha ltd., IBU of United Bank of Kuwait.
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
16/27
Riba is more than Usury
• US, South Africa, UK
– Excessive interest
– Early repayment penalty
• Active vs passive lending
• Pawn broking / money lending vs modern banking.
• No distinction between fair and unfair interest
• Trade is allowed
• Repayment only if borrower is able to?
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
17/27
Why?
• Pork etc.
• Property rental - Hallal
• Real benefit, wear and tear
• Capital rental - Haram
– Gold for gold, barley for barley; Inflation indexed?
– Equity/debt hybrid profit sharing? Undated preference shares? Section 233 loans?
• “Unearned” income taxed at 97% in the UK
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
18/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments PLS
• Mudaraba / Modaraba
– PLS no pain no gain
– Rabbulmal - capital provider / investor
– Mudarib - entrepreneur / borrower
– Profits split between Rabbulmal and Mudarib as agreed
– Losses only to financier.
• Looks like non-recourse project finance
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
19/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments PLS
• Shirka
– Generalised Mudaraba
– More than 2 parties
– Non contractual - Al Milk,
– Contractual Ul Uqud
• Looks like syndicated non-recourse project finance
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
20/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments PLS
• Musharaka / Mosharaka
– Equity investing
– Limited partnership
– Profits distributed according to pre-agreed formula
– Fair share of profits? 95% to investor?
• Looks like normal equity investments or fund management
• Sounds like “shares”
• Loss sharing? Limited liability to investment.
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
21/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments PLS• Al- Wadiah
– Retail savings account
– Cheque books bill payments, credit cards etc.
– Dividend paid subject to profits through the year
– Only profits no loss of capital
– Short term accounts
• Looks like with profits bonds
• Other retail
– Prizes, gifting of interest to charity, no transaction fees
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
22/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments – Mark-up
• Murabaha / Morabaha
– Mudaraba / Musharaka on bank liability side
– Murabaha / Morabaha on asset side.
– Locked-in return
– Bank buys asset on behalf of client / borrower and then sells it for deferred payment
– Title transfers at outset or on payment at maturity
– Interest into capital gains? Use of Libor
• Sounds like “Repo” a sale and repurchase agreement
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
23/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments - mark-up
• Baimuajjal
– Property financing on a deferred basis
– Payment in instalments or lump sum with mark-up
– Predetermined profit.
• Ijara
– Leasing type transaction
– Title stays with lessor
– Option to buy goods on maturity of contract
– Ijara wa iqtina is renting then purchase
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
24/27
Key Islamic Financial Instruments - Mark-up
• Baisalam
– Manufacturers financing of production
– Bank buys and pays for goods at a discount before manufacture
– Commodity futures contract? A derivative?
– Similar to Bankers Acceptance – BAs
• Al Bay Bithaman Ajil
– BBAs popular in Malaysia
– Financing sales by deferred instalments
– Trade not debt
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
25/27
Key Features of Islamic Banking
• Interest free
• Trade related and perceived need for funds
• Pure form of Islamic Banking? - equity related
• Avoids exploitation - no usury
• Ethical investments
– Alcohol, tobacco, gambling, armaments, pornography etc
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
26/27
European Retail Islamic Banking
• mainly high net worth
• 7 million Muslims in Europe
– 1.2 Mio UK, 3 Mio France, 2.9 Mio Germany
• so why minimal penetration?
– Poor image, Mystery, Risk aversion, tax issues.
Warren Edwardes
Introduction to Islamic Banking & Finance
Institute of Islamic Banking & Insurance London, 19 April 2004
27/27
Conclusion
• Growth market for strongly capitalised banks
– Islamic investors are risk averse
– Aware of rating agencies
– Top banking brand names such as HSBC, ANZ, UBK have an advantage - I believe
• But local banks need to try harder with relationship and innovation
• Speech not about economics or social science
– Idea is to encourage growth and achieve reasonable profit for capital invested