Introduction to Islamic Banking and Finance is a succinct guide to the key characteristics of Islamic banking highlighting how these differ from conventional banking‎.‎ This detailed book illustrates how Islamic banking is consistent with the Sharia‎'‎a‎,‎ a key element of which is the prohibition on collecting and paying interest‎.‎ This central religious precept appears to rule out most aspects of modern finance but it does allow money to be used for trading tangible assets and business‎,‎ which can then generate a profit‎.‎ Brian Kettell‎'‎s book looks at all aspects of Islamic banking‎,‎ including chapters on its creation and evolution through to detailed discussions of the issues involved in the Sharia‎'‎a contracts of Murabaha‎,‎ Mudaraba‎,‎ Musharaka‎,‎ Ijara‎,‎ Istisna‎'‎a‎,‎ and Salam‎.‎ Islamic insurance ‎(‎Takaful‎)‎ is also covered‎.‎ Finally the book takes a look at Sharia‎'‎a law and Sharia‎'‎a boards‎,‎ indicating the roles and responsibilities that come with membership‎.‎ Islamic banks have been operating in places such as Bahrain‎,‎ Saudi Arabia‎,‎ Malaysia and Dubai for some time‎.‎ Conventional bankers have traditionally viewed the sector as a small‎,‎ exotic niche but recent years have seen a dramatic surge in popularity‎.‎ A number of Western investment banks have started working with Muslim clerics to create new ranges of financial products designed for devout Muslims‎,‎ a large and growing market‎.‎ Although estimates of the size of the Islamic finance industry vary greatly‎,‎ everyone agrees that it is expanding rapidly and this is the perfect book for anyone looking to understand the industry‎.‎