Islamic finance is not only about making a profit but about doing so in an ethical manner. Often the sectors that are less lucrative can get ignored or lose interest – but financial inclusion is relevant for everyone and supporting the unbanked can only have a positive effect on the global economy. As the G20 this year concluded: financial access and financial stability go hand in hand, and those of us privileged enough to benefit have a duty to pass on our advantage to the less fortunate. On that subject, our cover story this week explores the encouraging steps forward taken in Islamic microfinance – and looks at what more is needed to bring it forward.
Our IFN reports cover education as an asset class and Iran’s potential in Islamic finance, while our analyses this week are on secondary markets and South Africa. Our correspondents bring you news from Egypt and Indonesia and our special reports are on free zones, Pakistan’s derivatives regulatory landscape, the global real estate market by IdealRatings as well as environmental, social and corporate governance principles from the International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance in addition to a feature report on China by Franco-American Alliance for Islamic finance. As we get ready for our flagship IFN Asia event in Kuala Lumpur this week, we look forward to seeing many of you in person and discussing the opportunities and challenges that continue to face the industry. It is exciting times in the financial markets, and we are honored and grateful to host so many illustrious names in pursuit of a common goal.