Shariah and House Purchase in Malaysia

Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 21:30 HKT/SGT

MALAYSIA, Oct 25, 2011 - (ACN Newswire) - Despite the existence of Shariah advisory councils, Islamic banks and financial institutions in Malaysia may be failing to carry out their duties. An article in this month's JSSH investigates transactions on purchasing houses specifically on transactions involving houses pending completion using the current practice of 'sale by deferred payment' also known as Bay' Bithaman al-Ajil (BBA).

Islamic banking gained foothold in Malaysia, with the establishment of Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad in 1983 and facilities have since expanded. Products include Wadiah - where the bank acts as the safe-keeper of deposits but may provide returns to the depositors as a gift; Murabahah, or partnership and equity financing; Ijarah - leasing; Musharakah - partnership and Bay' Bithaman al-Ajil - sale by deferred payment. Nuarrual Hilal Md. Dahlan and Sharifah Zubaidah Syed Abdul Kader Aljunid looked at sale and purchase and loan agreement to see if they comply with the requirements of the Islamic Law in protecting stakeholders and to provide practical suggestions to improve the existing practice.

Though in a landmark decision by the court of appeal in Malaysia in 2009 to legalize this arrangement as compliant with the shariah requirement, the authors of this paper are of the opinion that the transaction involves elements of gharar al-fahish or 'excessive profit with deception' and asks the question: "how could the bank as the 'owner' of the house, become a 'chargee' to their own asset?". Thus, the positions and status of the house, the charge, the ownership, the purchaser, the bank and the developer in BBA transaction are ambiguous and not certain.

The authors conclude that the current practice of Bay' Bithaman al-Ajil - whereby the good is sold immediately and the payment deferred to a later date - contradicts with the teachings of Islam and should be revamped until it is fully able to protect the interests of the purchasers/borrowers.

For more information about research or to arrange an interview please contact:

Nuarrual Hilal Md. Dahlan
College of Law, Government and International Studies
Universiti Utara Malaysia
UUM Sintok
06010 Kedah Darul Aman
E: nuarrualhilal@gmail.com; nuarrualhilal@hotmail.com; hilal@uum.edu.my
T: +604 9284 295.
M: +6012 578 5455 and 6013 528 8666.

Sharifah Zubaidah Syed Abdul Kader Aljunid
Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws
International Islamic University Malaysia
P.O.Box 10, 50728 Kuala Lumpur
E: sharifahz@iium.edu.my; shzubaidah@yahoo.com
M: +6019 356 8066.

About Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH)

Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH) is published by Universiti Putra Malaysia in English and is open to authors around the world regardless of nationality. Beginning 2012, it would be published four times a year in March, June, September and December. Other Pertanika series include Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS), and Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST).

JSSH aims to develop as a pioneer journal for the social sciences with a focus on emerging issues pertaining to the social and behavioural sciences as well as the humanities. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include Social Sciences?ccounting, anthropology, Archaeology and history, Architecture and habitat, Consumer and family economics, Economics, Education, Finance, Geography, Law, Management studies, Media and communication studies, Political sciences and public policy, Population studies, Psychology, Sociology, Technology management, Tourism; Humanities, Arts and culture, Dance, Historical and civilisation studies, Language and Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Religious studies, Sports.

The journal publishes original academic articles dealing with research on issues of worldwide relevance. The journals cater for scientists, professors, researchers, post-docs, scholars and students who wish to promote and communicate advances in the fields of Social Sciences & Humanities research.

Website: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/

For more information about the journal, contact

The Executive Editor (Pertanika Journals)
Head, Journal Division, UPM Press
Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (R&I)
Tower 2, UPM-MDTC Technology Centre
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor
Malaysia.

T: +603 8947 1622 | +6016 217 4050
E: ndeeps@admin.upm.edu.my

Distributed for JSSH by ResearchSEA.

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