Islamic finance looks to outgrow bad habits as it expands

After a year of landmark deals which are opening new markets for Islamic finance, the industry is under fresh pressure to address some of its shortcomings and prove that it is not just an imitation of conventional finance. Islamic finance was launched to promote Muslim values such as equity, risk-sharing and social inclusion, but those values may sometimes be getting lost. That's why the Islamic Development Bank is leading calls for Islamic banks to strengthen their moral foundations and promote real economic activity instead of monetary speculation. This will require the sector to go back to the drawing board and develop genuine Islamic finance products that are not only profitable but support socioeconomic development.