Over the course of the last half century, Islamic finance has grown from an embryonic and virtually unknown practice into an industry with over $1 trillion in assets. Yet as it has developed into this level of maturity and significance, important questions respecting its future abound. Primary among such questions is whether Islamic finance is merely the narrow discharge of a divine obligation, or whether it claims to do some social good beyond mere obedience to religious dictate. If Islamic finance is in fact merely the strict adherence to religious rules without concern as to broader social consequences, can it continue to expand when lay Muslims seem to expect so much more from the industry? If it aspires to be more, can it in fact develop a broader set of social objectives it takes seriously, relating to the achievement of social justice and ethical finance, while still remaining economically viable? These questions and others relating to the future of Islamic finance will be explored by our panel of experts, all of whom have written extensively on the subject.
Business meeting at program conclusion.