financial exclusion and the role of islamic finance in australia a ca by mohamed rosli mohamed sain mohammad m rahman et al

The way it works is that the financial institution mortgages the property and charges you an amount that you pay in rent. The more funds you repay, the more ownership you have in the property until it is paid off in full. Keep in mind that just because the institution doesn’t charge interest, doesn’t mean it doesn't charge a profit. The financial institution still makes a profit from leasing the property to you. The providers of this style of finance all operate under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act and will make independent enquiries into your ability to meet the financial commitments without undue hardship. This often means Islamic finance comes in the form of a “ full doc” application process.

The course focuses particularly on the conceptualisation and debate over riba , and the divide between Islamic theology and ideals of Islamic Banking in practice, all while emphasising the diversity of Muslim thinking on Islamic Banking. The course takes a qualitative approach to understanding these issues, and does not require prior knowledge of quantitative techniques. Chief operating officer Muzzammil Dhedhy, a qualified cleric and Islamic theologian, says Islamic laws govern all aspects of Muslims’ lives and many will not feel comfortable dealing with a conventional bank. Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy. When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity.

“There are some really interesting structural elements that we negotiated to finalise this latest offering in order to ensure that we comply with Australian federal and state tax laws and at the same time remain true to Islamic principles. In a first for Australian banking, NAB has today announced the launch of a specialised financing product for Islamic business customers looking to invest and grow. Hejaz wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Halal so it is our duty to provide you with authentic Sharia-compliant financial products and services.

Overall, very good customer service and will definitely recommend it. They were organised, very professional and have excellent customer services. I have been with Amanah since March 2019 and so far their service has been superb from the beginning.

Without this approach, the gap on financial inclusion will only widen or contribute to diminishing financial health. When I spoke at the Islamic finance symposium just 11 months ago, it was hard to imagine the growth in interest from all sides in this global phenomenon. Geographically, Australia is well positioned within the Asia Pacific region to expand already strong trade linkages with the region through the Islamic finance sector.

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. To date, Victoria is the only state to recognise the potential for Islamic finance contracts to incur double stamp duty, introducing legislative exemptions in 2004. “One of the great challenges in starting Australia’s first Islamic bank is that you have all of these jurisdictional and legislative challenges that you don’t have when you’re running a conventional bank,” Mr Gillespie said.

In April this year, I visited Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain and held a series of talks with the international leadership of the Islamic finance regulatory and banking sectors in each of those States. The Assistant Treasurer, Senator the Hon Nick Sherry, has today held a series of talks with the international leadership of the Islamic finance regulatory and banking sectors. Values Based Organisations As Australia’s first Islamic Bank, we are proud that our products will bring financial inclusion to thousands…

Islamic Finance Jobs in All Australia

Visiting Manama, Bahrain on a visit to the Gulf, the Assistant Treasurer met with the Central Bank of Bahrain and key government economic and banking officials. 'Mozo sort order' refers to the initial sort order and is not intended in any way to imply that particular products are better than others. You can easily change the sort order of the products displayed on the page. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has officially authorised the first Australian Islamic bank to have a restricted deposit-taking license under the Banking Act.

According to Islamic beliefs, using products that earn or pay interest is forbidden because it's viewed as exploitative, unfair and unjust. For example, being charged interest on a small loan that’s needed to meet basic financial needs is considered unethical. “There are some really interesting structural elements that we negotiated to finalise this latest offering in order to ensure that we comply with Australian federal and state tax laws and at the same time remain true to Islamic principles. We hold a restricted ADI authorisation granted by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority .

APRA has issued a restricted authorised deposit-taking institution licence to IBA Group, establishing the company’s brand Islamic Bank Australia as the country’s first Islamic bank. Our shariah-compliant financing solutions are here to help you to meet your property, vehicle or commercial need. I recommended all in Australia to take loan from them to buy property. Connecting Your Financial Goals and Faith Values Into One Idea of Success Islam is a code that filters into all aspects of life. In western culture, that has previously left Islamic businesses, people and investors at a disadvantage, but with major industry momentum in Islamic finance, it can now boost you forward. We use the guidance on national, international, and socio-economic issues outlined in Islamic code to help Australian Muslims to live and work accordingly while meeting and exceeding their business and financial goals.

He leads a local team of industry specialists who together aim to create frictionless customer experiences through the application of digital touchpoints. Earlier this year, our digital engineering team at Mobiquity delivered an Islamic bank prototype with online car finance ("Murabaha") to support the growing global Muslim community. I’m afraid we may not be able to provide you with an answer to that question. The accounting treatment will be determined by the lender/bank that offers the Islamic Home Loan.

After a successful pre-assessment a finance executive will prepare your application for submission. We will request specific information to support your application. The information we request will vary depending on your personal circumstances and includes documents to support income, deposit or equity, assets, liabilities such as current mortgages, car loans, credit cards etc. MCCA is Australia’s leading Shariah compliant finance and investments provider.

Islamic home loans: How do they work and how do you get one?

Learn more about Islamic home loans, including how they work and what to look for. You can also compare other home loans and get a better idea of their costs and benefits. Canstar is a comparison website, not a product issuer, so it’s important to check any product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement , Target Market Determination and other applicable product documentation before making a decision to purchase, acquire, invest in or apply for a financial or credit product. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the PDS, TMD and other documentation.

As the mortgage term progresses, the homebuyer gains more and more equity in the property and owes less interest. At the end of the mortgage, the homebuyer owns 100% of their home, and the lender’s involvement is over. We are licensed to advice on any financial products in Australia and are Sharia certified by an internationally acclaimed authority. Binah who specialise in delivering full scale construction services have utilised NAB’s new Islamic financing product on their latest development. Would you really like to own your own home, but find it a struggle to save up the whole cost of a suitable property? If you’d ideally like a home loan but are worried about it contravening Sharia law, take heart.

It is not personal advice, and you should not rely on it, even if the example is similar to your own circumstances. The salient benefit of an Islamic finance facility is that there is an ethical overlay applied to it, whereby both loan funding and loan purpose have an ethical requirement. Moreover, the mortgage products can be highly competitive with rates offered by many conventional non-bank lenders, and in some cases, may be cheaper than those offered by non-Islamic lenders. The way it works is that the financial institution mortgages the property and charges you an amount that you pay in rent. The more funds you repay, the more ownership you have in the property until it is paid off in Islamic Bank In Australia full. Keep in mind that just because the institution doesn’t charge interest, doesn’t mean it doesn't charge a profit.

Compare home loans from Australia’s major banks, credit unions and other lenders at InfoChoice. Most Sharia-compliant institutions offer pre-approval so you know the price bracket to concentrate on before actually applying for the mortgage. Islamic home loans offer a lot of the same features as conventional mortgages, so you still need to compare the deals available to make sure you’re getting the most suitable one for you.

It is thus incumbent upon Muslims to find a way of lending, borrowing, and investing without interest. Islam is not the only religious tradition to have raised serious concerns about the ethics of interest, but Muslims have continued to debate the issue with vigour. The head of local Islamic finance company Amanah Finance explains that the core philosophy goes further than avoiding interest. Before the couple met, Melike had also previously Sharia Bank Loans taken out a traditional home loan with Commonwealth Bank. How ICFAL gives you the chance to Shariah Compliant investment and financing. Marking 25 years in operation, we are excited to share our brand new visual identity.

For example, the bank might buy a $10,000 car and sell it to the customer for $13,000 – which can be repaid in instalments. Our shariah-compliant financing solutions are here to help you to meet your property, vehicle or commercial need. I recommended all in Australia to take loan from them to buy property. Connecting Your Financial Goals and Faith Values Into One Idea of Success Islam is a code that filters into all aspects of life.

InfoChoice may receive a commission, referral, fee, payment or advertising fees from a provider when you click on a link to a product. We may sort or promote the order of these products based on our commercial arrangements. Sponsored products are products offered by a provider with which InfoChoice has a commercial marketing arrangement in place.

Most non-bank home loan providers would provide a safe environment for you to obtain a loan from. Of course, you should do independent research to confirm that the lender you are working with is registered and legitimate. Some institutions will charge annual fees, which will increase the amount of your payments. Look for financial institutions with low or no account-keeping fees, so you can focus on meeting your repayments and paying out your lease in full.

The future of Islamic banking in the western countries, what we need to know

Essentially, applicants will need to substantiate their income in order to demonstrate their borrowing capacity, and provide proof of their intended deposit. The assessment process will consider credit history, employment details, dependents, expenses, liabilities, and property details. Notably, being of Islamic faith is not a requirement for this process. Various forms of Islamic home financing are offered by a handful of service providers in Australia.

This method of Islamic financing differs from a traditional loan in that monies are not simply extended by the financier to the customer for the purchase of an asset, as is the case with a traditional loan. Rather, an asset is purchased by the financier and then sold to the customer. Murabaha financing is a method of Islamic financing commonly found in the Middle East and the Asian subcontinent. It occurs by way of a contract where an Islamic financier, upon the request of a customer, purchases an asset from a vendor and resells it to the customer with an agreed profit margin. The customer then makes periodic payments of an agreed amount over a set period of time. Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance.

Ijarah Finance operates under the principle of Rent-To-Own otherwise known as Ijarah Muntahiya Bil Tamleek – A Lease Agreement with the option to own the leased asset at the end of the lease period. If the idea of owing your own property, vehicle or equipment via Ijarah appeals to you but you are currently paying off an existing mortgage we can help you replace it. Looking to make a change from the city life to the country life?

Muslim communities throughout the world use hawala for paperless financial interactions. Some banks may conduct it, but it is a good way to transfer money without banks. A person is buying an insurance Islamic Finance Sydney package without knowing if they will ever need it.

However, if you’re a Muslim who wants to give ridesharing a go, it’s not always easy to find Islamic car finance among these options. "Of the four largest banks in Australia, the National Bank of Australia has so far started Islamic finance only in the business sector, not in the home loan sector," he said. The key to Islamic banking is interest-free financial transactions, and so it is different from conventional banking. Construction company Binah said the NAB’s sharia-compliant finance meant it could take on projects with development partners and fund them while maintaining core values of their faith. Practices like investing in alcohol companies are forbidden under sharia law.

However, you must consider additional concepts such as risk-sharing and the absence of ambiguity which make Islamic home loans unique, compared to traditional loan products. On this subject, Murphy states, “In Australia, the Muslim community comprises Pakistanis, Fijians, Indians, Malaysians, Egyptians and so on. It would not be uncommon for some people to come to me and say ‘I want my Imam to sign off on your program’. But then we’d have to do the same for everyone and try to represent all the different religions, which would be impossible. InfoChoice, its directors, officers and/or Representatives do not have any ownership of any financial or credit products or platform providers that would influence us when we provide general advice.

We will order a valuation of the property once you have provided us with a valid contract of sale. Remember, if you change your mind cancelling a sale may become an expensive exercise. Our products have been developed in close collaboration with some of the world’s leading Islamic finance scholars.

As you can see, the main difference between a conventional mortgage and a Sharia home loan is that the Sharia mortgage works by rent and a regular loan uses interest. You can, once the terms are laid out clearly, both take on the risk of the agreement. When you take an Islamic home loan, you’ll be using a product that’s devised with several principles in mind. If you’re Muslim, then you may have wondered for a long time about how you can get a mortgage so you can own your own home and stay true to your religious beliefs. Settle Easy has updated its online platform to provide automatic updates to mortgage brokers and real estate agents during the conveyancing … Mobiquity has launched the Islamic banking minimal viable product at fintech conference Money20/20 in Europe.

Australian Muslims Broadly Underserved by Traditional Financial Product Providers

They were organised, very professional and have excellent customer services. I have been with Amanah since March 2019 and so far their service has been superb from the beginning. Even during these challenging times their team are willing to help. If you are going to make an offer at a private sale please ensure your lawyer requests a “subject to finance” period. Ultimately, we want to bring our Shariah compliant products to the grass roots of our community and we have leading representatives in each state that can assist you. We have been recognised for our commitment to client service having been awarded the Best Islamic Finance Institution for three consecutive years by the prestigious.

Since "interest" is forbidden, the word is avoided in most cases, although the Australian government still requires it to be used in the paperwork. The challenge for halal financing is not just to get a consumer loan structured in a way that doesn’t charge interest. The provenance of the funds borrowed also matters, and if those are coming from wholesale markets that charge interest, the funds fail to comply for many. The economist and former Liberal Party leader chairs specialist lender Crescent Finance, which is targeting both foreign institutions and local investors to back funds that will lend to Australian Muslims. We are licensed to advice on any financial products in Australia and are Sharia certified by an internationally acclaimed authority. To help you navigate the complex world of finance, insurance and utilities, we are committed to offering you a free service to help find you the right product to suit your needs.

Keep in mind that just because the institution doesn’t charge interest, doesn’t mean it doesn't charge a profit. The financial institution still makes a profit from leasing the property to you. MCCA is Australia’s leading Shariah compliant finance and investments provider.

We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market. Please note that the information published on our site should not be construed as personal advice and does not consider your personal needs Halal Loans and circumstances. While our site will provide you with factual information and general advice to help you make better decisions, it isn't a substitute for professional advice. You should consider whether the products or services featured on our site are appropriate for your needs.

We hold a restricted ADI authorisation granted by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority . This authorisation allows us to offer banking services, but is subject to certain restrictions such as a cap on the amount of deposits that we can hold in total. The purpose of the “restricted” status is that we can test our systems and processes before launching as a fully unrestricted bank. To be eligible Islamic home loans, apart from having the Muslim faith, you’ll also need to provide proof of funds for your deposit, savings and employment history as well as information related to any other assets or liabilities you have. Moreover, before you apply for a specific loan, please make sure that you’ve read the relevant T&Cs or PDS of the loan products. You can also check the eligibility requirements to determine whether the product is right for you or not.

Our consultants are here to help you purchase your next property, vehicle or business asset without entering into an interest-based mortgage. Our Ijarah products can be tailored to suit individual and business needs. Would you really like to own your own home, but find it a struggle to save up the whole cost of a suitable property? If you’d ideally like a home loan but are worried about it contravening Sharia law, take heart. There are forms of Islamic home loans that mean your dream can now come true.

There were more than 340,000 Muslims in Australia in 2006, and the population is growing. Many of these residents want to live the Australian dream and own their own home. But in doing so with a local lender, they must pay back interest and thus violate "Sharia" or Islamic law. The income fund will take 1 percentage point of gross profit and is targeting returns between 3 per cent and 4.45 per cent, while returns on the capital fund will reflect the wider residential market. Crescent Finance’s predictions are based on estimates of financing between 1350 and 1650 homes over the next five years, Dr Farook said.

InfoChoice is one of Australia’s leading financial services comparison website. We've been helping Aussies find great offers on everything from credit cards and home loans to savings and personal loans and more for over 25 years. Melbourne-based investment advisory firm Hejaz Financial Services has also applied for a banking licence after seeing huge demand for its sharia-compliant finance, mortgages and superannuation since 2013. Designed to meet Islamic Law requirements, the product structures financing as a lease where ‘rent’ and ‘service fee’ are paid instead of ‘interest’. The Bank has also invested in achieving the endorsement of Amanie Advisors, a global Shariah advisory firm on behalf of its customers to provide comfort around the law compliancy while saving clients valuable time and money. An Islamic home loans are offered as full-documentation products.

That's no doubt helped push them along while some of the major banks, especially in the U.S., have collapsed or needed billions of dollars in government funds after taking on too many bad loans. Founded in 1989, MCCA is the first and one of the leading providers of Islamic finance in Australia, a small but growing market. There's little competition other than a few others such as Sydney-based Iskan Home Finance.

Islamic Finance Halal Loans Sharia Finance Australia

Once final instalment is made by the client, the funder will transfer ownership to the client. Bank LoanMeezan FinanceFacilityLoan to purchaseRent to OwnOwnershipTransferred immediately upon settlement.Legal Title held by the Client. If the lessee defaults on payments or delays payments, the lessor can’t charge compound interest.

They've instead taken on a new way of lending aimed to stay within their beliefs. This unique Islamic finance market is growing internationally to the tune of nearly US$1 trillion, and could soon become a force in Australia as well. With its current APRA restricted licence, Islamic Bank Australia can only have a limited number of customers in 2023. The bank hopes to obtain APRA approval to offer its products to the general public by 2024. Instead of the typical interest earning products, Islamic Bank Australia will offer a lease-to-buy model for home loans and a profit pool for term deposits.

The information we request will vary depending on your personal circumstances and includes documents to support income, deposit or equity, assets, liabilities such as current mortgages, car loans, credit cards etc. If you wish to compare your Islamic home loans, in the above section “Are there any Islamic banking institutions in Australia? ” you’ll find list brokers and providers that specialise in Islamic home loans. ” you’ll find list brokers and providers that specialize in Islamic home loans. Some institutions will charge annual fees, which will increase the amount of your payments.

This has lead to a majority of Aussie Muslims preferring traditional lending banks as they can be cheaper and more convenient. Specifically, sharia law takes issue with riba, roughly translated as ‘interest’, and it is one of the foundations of Muslim trade, home loans included. By providing you with the ability to apply for an insurance quote or a credit facility we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application is subject to the Provider’s terms, conditions and criteria. If InfoChoice refers you to a provider, you will be dealing with that provider directly and not with us.

Hence, what is most important is not the use of the percentage, but rather what such a percentage represents. Take our quick Risk Profile Quiz to find the right investment product for you. A form of credit devoid of interest, which allows the customer to make a purchase. Similar to Ijara, except that the customer is able to purchase the leased item at the end of the period. Ijarah Finance is one of the best firm for sharia home loans or commercial loans. The EoI phase will be accessible to additional proponents who registered their interest late in the market sounding process.

"I'm very grateful that this is allowing me to grow my business," he says. One area the sector is tapping into – with some logistical wrangling – is consumer home loans, like those taken out by Melike and Ibrahim. "The customer is at risk and the bank is at risk, and in order to achieve that it's not a debt relationship, it's more like a partnership relationship," Asad Ansari says. Before the couple met, Melike had also previously taken out a traditional home loan with Commonwealth Bank.

NAB broadens Islamic finance focus into business loans

Islamic home loans come with many of the features that are also offered with traditional home loans. Compare the features among different lenders before deciding which home loan is right for you. For the period of the transaction, the buyer amortised the outstanding debt through rental instalments. Investment products offered by financial experts in which the bank and the customer share all profits. If you open a savings account with us, we’ll use your funds in ethical income-generating activities, and then share these profits with you. It’s a totally new way to think about banking,” explained Mr Gillespie.

Musharakah Mutanaqisah works almost exactly along the same lines as a western mortgage, in that both types of homebuyers gain equity as they repay. It relates to a ‘diminishing partnership.’ That means western-style borrowers owe less, own more, and pay less interest as a home loan progresses. With Islamic mortgages, homebuyers also owe less, own more, but need to pay less rental as the term progresses.

Money is a big deal for everyone so we’re here as your money partners, finding the best way to make it happen. A seminal book on Islamic finance by the world-renowned Mufti Taqi Usmani, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the key concepts, rules, and ideas behind modern Islamic finance. With a 30+ year track record, we provide a compelling Islamic finance option for the Muslims of Australia. Purchase a rural property without engaging in an interest-based contract. Ijarah Finance is ready to consider your loan request you just need to contact us and we will do our own audit and analysis to whether consider your request or not.

These loans are structured to work as a lease, “where ‘rent’ and ‘service fee’ are paid instead of ‘interest’,” according to the bank. Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown Islamic Bank Home Loan on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website.

The information we request will vary depending on your personal circumstances and includes documents to support income, deposit or equity, assets, liabilities such as current mortgages, car loans, credit cards etc. Mr Ozyon said that many Australian Muslims are avoiding essential financial products like savings accounts and insurance because of a lack of Sharia-compliant options. Hejaz Financial Services CEO Hakan Ozyon said that Muslim Australians have excellent savings habits but are broadly underserviced by traditional financial product providers. While western mortgages use interest as the primary basis for lenders to make money, Islamic home loans work differently.

First Islamic Bank licensed in Australia

Invest ethically and get Shariah compliant returns as you move one step closer to your goals. For almost a decade, we have been amalgamating wealth with faith to advance ethical economic growth and financial opportunity for all Muslims. Money is a big deal for everyone so we’re here as your money partners, finding the best way to make it happen. 'Mozo sort order' refers to the initial sort order and is not intended in any way to imply that particular products are better than others. You can easily change the sort order of the products displayed on the page. To follow Sharia Law, Islamic Bank Australia will follow a lease-to-buy/co-ownership model that acts like paying a monthly rent until you pay off the equivalent of the property’s original price.

“I’m just really excited that for the 3 per cent of Aussies , we’ll be putting together a way for them to actually do their banking in line with their faith. Islamic Bank Australia is backed by the 13 founder shareholders as well as Abreco Group, a UAE-based company. Other Islamic financiers currently operate in the non-bank space, such asHejaz Financial Services.

I have been with Amanah since March 2019 and so far their service has been superb from the beginning. Remember, if you change your mind cancelling a sale may become an expensive exercise. Our products have been developed in close collaboration with some of the world’s leading Islamic finance scholars.

It could be argued that the latter is more important to creating a thriving, inclusive society and has a bigger impact on the economy in the long term. ESG — Environmental, Social, and Governance — has become the industry buzzword of 2022. However, while it all looks great on face value, customers are starting to question commitments from banks and financial institutions to not only environmental governance, but also its social counterparts.

And the implications are vast, not only does this tick the box for inclusion, but so too does it begin to grow brand gravity. With an agile digitally enabled infrastructure, not only is the possibility of personalisation enabled, but so too is the scale of delivery for such products and services. And the appetite is there, ABA’s 2021 report on consumer banking trends confirmed Australians have adapted quickly to the digital era of banking, meaning we are bridging a gap in financial inclusion and the consumer experience.

If the Board concludes that amendments to the tax law are required, the Board should consider whether adjustments can be made to existing tax frameworks rather than the development of specific provisions directed solely at Islamic financial products. Where an Islamic financial product is economically equivalent to a conventional product, the tax treatment of the two products should be the same. The rise of Islamic banking is just the beginning of a much larger discussion around ethical banking and financial inclusion, one which banks have struggled to stay on top of for years, if not decades to now.

Australias leading Islamic finance and investments

One of the more prevalent models used in Australia is called Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek. This is where the Islamic financier buys the house for the client and then rents it to them over a fixed term, generally decades. "The customer is at risk and the bank is at risk, and in order to achieve that it's not a debt relationship, it's more like a partnership relationship," Asad Ansari says. The head of local Islamic finance company Amanah Finance explains that the core philosophy goes further than avoiding interest. Katrecia and I would like to thank you for your help with securing finance and the support you provided throughout the purchase.

Islamic Bank Australia is an inclusive bank – you won’t have to be a Muslim Aussie to bank with us,” said Mr Gillespie. “Islamic banks are incredibly popular worldwide because of the ethical way they interact with customers. It’s more like a partnership where both the bank and the customers share the benefits,” said Mr Gillespie. “With the number of Muslims in Australia growing by more than 6% every year, we’re excited to be bringing this new type of banking to the Australian community,” said Islamic Bank Australia CEO Dean Gillespie.

While the central bank went hard on its third consecutive 50-bp hike – without considering another option – the August minutes reveal it is not set “on a pre-set path”. New Zealand’s central bank has committed to another cash hike in the face of surging inflation, tacking on an extra 50 basis points. Without this approach, the gap on financial inclusion will only widen or contribute to diminishing financial health. IBA's licence is timely too, with the 2021 Australian Census highlighting a 34.6 per cent increase in Australia’s Islamic population — now the second largest religion in our country. Big LawSo They Can, Momentum Media team up to promote education and empowerme…

What you need to know as an MCCA customer, or more generally as a member of Australia’s Muslim community or the finance profession. Driven by our Islamic values and ethos, our Shariah advisors ensure all our products are Shariah compliant. “Even to the extent that they would rather hold savings in physical cash form at home despite the inherent security and safety risks and forgone earnings,” he said. To date, Victoria is the only state to recognise the potential for Islamic finance contracts to incur double stamp duty, introducing legislative exemptions in 2004. “One of the great challenges in starting Australia’s first Islamic bank is that you have all of these jurisdictional and legislative challenges that you don’t have when you’re running a conventional bank,” Mr Gillespie said.

Islamic Bank Australia becomes the latest bank to be granted a RADI licence – however, several RADIs have closed up shop since launch. While Islamic Bank Australia caters for Muslims, the bank has said it will be “inclusive” – so customers need not be Muslim in order to bank with them. “I’m just really excited that for the 3 per cent of Aussies , we’ll be putting together a way for them to actually do their banking in line with their faith. Islamic Bank Australia is backed by the 13 founder shareholders as well as Abreco Group, a UAE-based company.

Australias 1st Islamic bank will distribute through brokers

The head of local Islamic finance company Amanah Finance explains that the core philosophy goes further than avoiding interest. Before the couple met, Melike had also previously taken out a traditional home loan with Commonwealth Bank. But that's been hard to achieve in Australia's mainstream banking system. The couple's interpretation of their Islamic faith means they want to try to avoid paying or receiving interest.

If you want more information or have questions, check out Islamic Bank Australia’s website and contact them directly. In the meantime, stay up to date with the latest banking news on our bank account news and advice page. Typically everyday bank accounts under Sharia Law do not accumulate any interest.

"One of the great things about Australia is we live in a nation where so many different people from different cultures or different religious backgrounds, or even no religion at all, can get on." Sydney-based startup IBA Group, which is led by Muslim scholars, told ABC News they started the process with APRA to get a R-ADI a few years ago. "The question for them arose whether they could actually undertake the Islamic banking activities within the Australian framework. And the decision was made that that was quite a difficult prospect." Some time ago, Amanah Finance's Asad Ansari consulted for an offshore Islamic bank that was interested in setting up a branch in Australia. Imran says NAB isn't looking to play in the consumer Islamic finance space. He believes the big opportunity for Australia is setting up mechanisms that can allow offshore companies to invest here.

Although it is arguable that charging rent or making a profit may be no different to charging interest, Islamic finance experts explain that there is a difference in the way the money is made. Islamic banks have a different approach to forming relationships with their clients. Generally, the bank and clients maintain the relationship of partners, investors and trader, or buyer and seller. In a conventional mortgage, the client borrows money from a lender which is then repaid with interest. Luckily, there are lenders out there that offer this type of finance. Muslims who want to take out a mortgage in Western countries such as Australia face difficulty because, according to shari’ah, charging or earning interest on loans and other types of finance is strictly prohibited.

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs. For more information, read Canstar’s Financial Services and Credit Guide and our detailed disclosure. Canstar may receive a fee for referring you to a product provider – for further information, see how we get paid. The requirements to apply for Islamic home finance are similar to those of a traditional mortgage application. Essentially, applicants will need to substantiate their income in order to demonstrate their borrowing capacity, and provide proof of their intended deposit.

Find out the latest insights about super, finance and investments. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you. Belinda Punshon worked for Finder as a writer on home loans and property and as a corporate communications executive.