Now Available for Sale in the United Kingdom (paperback) and Globally
here.
Book Release Schedule
April 1st: United Kingdom (paperback) and globally (E-Book)
May 1st: Continental Europe (paperback)
May 15th: Asia (paperback) with a focus on Singapore, Tokyo and the Middle East
June 15th: North America (paperback)
Nominee - 2021 The British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding
Reviewed in ‘Asian Affairs’ Volume 52, 2021 -Issue 3, the journal of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs (UK)
REVIEWS
“Islamonomics is a concise, fast-paced guide to Islamic finance from its origins to its new frontiers. Accurate, instructive, accessible.”
— Dr Benedikt Koehler
Economics of Religion Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, London
“Islamonomics gives a whistle-stop tour of the history of the world through the lens of Islamic finance. Its focus on Asia is pertinent and important.”
— Dr Sajjad Khoshroo
Islamic Finance Practitioner, Counsel at Allen & Overy LLP, London
“In global efforts to secure sustainable business ethics, this Islamic voice offers an important contribution.”
— Dr Werner Menski
Emeritus Professor of South Asian Laws, SOAS, University of London
SYNOPSIS
The Islamic Finance industry is valued at US$3 trillion and finances deals in London, New York, Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, Geneva, and Kuala Lumpur. Yet where does Islamic Finance come from? What has it accomplished? Why did it disappear? And why has it returned to prominence once again?
In answering these questions, Mohammed illuminates the history of Islamic trade, from the shores of the Mediterranean to the strategic maritime choke points of South East Asia, spanning the 7th century to the present. Along the way, he demonstrates how the Islamic principles of interest-free lending, the use of commodity-based currencies, and investment into tangible economic activity have always been adapted to each society’s circumstances.
As we enter the Asian Century, how do the principles of Islamic Finance apply to a globalized financial system formed by three centuries of British American dominance? Can the Islamic Finance industry attempt to remain competitive in an Eastern-shifting global economy without losing its soul?
Mohammed argues that, if its principles are adhered to, Islamic Finance can make a lasting impact on the world by addressing systemic challenges from income inequality to climate change.
ABOUT
Akhtar Mohammed was born in Vancouver, Canada, to Fijian Muslim parents of Indian/Pashtun descent. He obtained a BA in Political Science and History from the University of British Columbia and an LLB (Honours) at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. While living in Singapore he completed a Diploma in Islamic Finance with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK). He received his LLM in Toronto, at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, specializing in Capital Markets. He is also admitted as an attorney to practice in the State of New York. His maternal grandfather was a veteran of the Second World War, serving with the Fijian Regiment.
Projects
Founder of Islamic Finance and Ethics Society (2013) (London, UK)
Contributor to ‘We Mark Your Memory: Writing from the Descendants of Indenture’ (2018) by Commonwealth Writers Foundation and School of Advanced Studies, University of London
Author of ‘Islamic Venture Capitalism: Lessons to Learn from Social Venture Capitalism’ Journal of Markets & Morality 25, no. 2 (2022). · Jan 19, 2023
Contact
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