IslamicFinance.de

According to Essa Kazim, the chairman of the Borse Dubai, the emirate's strategy to become a global centre for Islamic business and finance is paying off, although it is still at an early stage. Underlining its ambitions, the emirate raised US$1.25 billion (Dh4.59bn) in government sukuk at competitive interest rates last week. The Dubai Financial Market General Index is one of the best performing in the world over the last 12 months.

Business Intelligence reported on 18 March that the Sharia Board of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) has issued the first standards for trading shares. The establishment of such standards is in line with DFM becoming an Islamic exchange as decided on the Annual General Meeting in 2007. Since then the Sharia Board with its Chairman, Dr Hussain Hamid has focused on the establishment of criteria to classify listed companies in terms of Sharia-compliance and accounting practices.

The standards are divided into five sections and cover the following areas: definitions of terms and criteria; implications for brokers and investors; guidelines for compliance for conventional firms; conventional income guidelines; and general rules and regulations.

Mr Essa Kazim is Chairman of the DFM.

Source: http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?c=3&cg=2&t=1&id=18389