Essays on the relationship between Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and islamic banks

Abstract

The present study has focused on three main essays: 1) the challenges facing Islamic banking in Bahrain, 2) issues arising from the CBB Rule Book, and 3) how Shari’ah Advisory in Bahrain Islamic finance compares with Malaysia’s. The study is predominantly library-based and utilizes analytical method for different aspects of the research. The study argues that that the relationship between CBB and Islamic banks need to be adjusted according to the Shari’ah principles in general, with a specific focus on Shariah governance and Shariah Supervisory boards. Furthermore, evidences from the study reveal that Shariah governance rules, laws and regulations pertaining to Islamic financial institutions established and adopted by central bank are not Shari’ah compliant and while they have performed in the past, it is necessary to amend and improve them for a more robust growth in the sector. This is important because Islamic banking has emerged as a strong sector in the region and in order to gain leadership, the CBB’s approach to Shariah governance must be modified. Moreover, the study has demonstrated that the current relationship between CBB and Islamic banks is almost similar to any other conventional bank that deals with western standards and non-Shari’ah products and hence there is a need to adjust this relation according to Shari’ah principles. The study concludes with recommendations and suggestions for future research.?