Opinion: Getting Islamic Finance to Fulfill its Promise

The expanding reach of Islamic finance promises to carry a number of potential benefits. For example, Islamic financial institutions are less exposed to crisis because of their risk-sharing features. Another advantage is that Islamic finance can attract a large number of people into the banking system who have previously refrained for religious reasons. But while growing in scope, there are challenges for the industry to develop in a safe and sound manner. The IMF examined some of these issues in a recently published Staff Discussion Note, trying to understand under what circumstances the potential of Islamic Finance can be realized.