Risk in Islamic Banking

LAPE Working Paper

61 Pages Posted: 18 Nov 2010 Last revised: 12 Oct 2012

See all articles by Pejman Abedifar

Pejman Abedifar

University of St Andrews - School of Management; Khatam University - Tehran Institute for Advanced Studies; Khatam University

Philip Molyneux

University of Sharjah; University of Sharjah - College of Business Administration

Amine Tarazi

University of Limoges - Laboratoire d'Analyse et de Prospectives Économiques (LAPE); University of Limoges - Faculty of Law and Economic Science; Economic Research Forum (ERF)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: May 3, 2012

Abstract

This paper investigates risk and stability features of Islamic banking using a sample of 553 banks from 24 countries between 1999 and 2009. Small Islamic banks that are leveraged or based in countries with predominantly Muslim populations have lower credit risk than conventional banks. In terms of insolvency risk, small Islamic banks also appear more stable. Moreover, we find little evidence that Islamic banks charge rents to their customers for offering Sharia compliant financial products. Our results also show that loan quality of Islamic banks is less responsive to domestic interest rates compared to conventional banks.

Keywords: Islamic banking, Islaminc Finance, Bank risk, credit risk, stability, insolvency, Zscore

JEL Classification: G21, G32

Suggested Citation

Abedifar, Pejman and Molyneux, Philip and Molyneux, Philip and Tarazi, Amine, Risk in Islamic Banking (May 3, 2012). LAPE Working Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1663406 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1663406

Pejman Abedifar (Contact Author)

University of St Andrews - School of Management ( email )

The Gateway, North Haugh
St Andrews, Fife KY16 9RJ
United Kingdom

Khatam University - Tehran Institute for Advanced Studies ( email )

Tehran
Iran

Khatam University

Tehran
Iran

Philip Molyneux

University of Sharjah ( email )

College of Business Administration
University of Sharjah
Sharjah, Sharjah
United Arab Emirates

HOME PAGE: http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/academics/Colleges/business/Pages/ppl_detail.aspx?mcid=1

University of Sharjah - College of Business Administration ( email )

University City Road
Sharjah, 27272
United Arab Emirates

Amine Tarazi

University of Limoges - Laboratoire d'Analyse et de Prospectives Économiques (LAPE) ( email )

5 rue Félix Eboué
BP 3127
Limoges Cedex 1, 87031
France

University of Limoges - Faculty of Law and Economic Science ( email )

5 rue Felix Eboue
Limoges, 87000
France

Economic Research Forum (ERF) ( email )

21 Al-Sad Al-Aaly St.
(P.O. Box: 12311)
Dokki, Cairo
Egypt