Norms of Ethics in Islamic Finance
The basic principles which govern the rights and obligations of participants in the stock markets are established from the relevant verses of the holy Quran and from the Sunnah. Here is some important norms of Islamic ethics as are applicable to stock markets. All these norms may form the basis of regulation and legislation relating to stock markets.
1. Freedom to Contract
Islam provides a basic freedom to enter into transactions. The holy Quran says: Allah has made trade lawful.(2:275). Further, no contract is valid if it involves an element of coercion for either of the parties. The holy Quran also says: let there be among you traffic and trade by mutual goodwill (4:29). However, this basic norm does not imply unbridled freedom to contract and may be sacrificed when there is a trade-off with other norms requiring specific injunctions as in the case of the framework for conventional finance highlighted above.
2. Freedom from Al Riba
All forms of contracts and transactions must be free from riba. This implies that there is no reward for time preference and under conditions of zero risk. The question of riba has been addressed in a large body of literature and there is a general consensus about the meaning and implications of riba.
3. Freedom from Al Gharar (Excessive Uncertainty)
All forms of contracts and transactions must be free from excessive gharar. This implies that contracting under conditions of excessive uncertainty is not permissible. Islamic scholars have identified the conditions and highlighted situations that involve excessive uncertainty and consequently, disallow a contract.
4. Freedom from Al-Qimar (gambling) and Al-Maysir (Unearned Income)
As highlighted so well in the study under review, contracting under excessive uncertainty or gharar is akin to gambling (al-qimar). And uninformed speculation in its worst form, is also akin to gambling (al-qimar). The holy Quran and the traditions of the holy prophet explicitly prohibit gains made from games of chance which involve unearned income (al-maysir). Here it may be noted that the term speculation has different connotations. It always involves an attempt to predict the future outcome of an event. But the process may or may not be backed by collection, analysis and interpretation of relevant information. The former case is very much in conformity with Islamic rationality. An Islamic economic unit is required to assume risk after making a proper assessment of risk with the help of information. All business decisions involve speculation in this sense. It is only the gross absence of value-relevant information or conditions of excessive uncertainty that makes speculation akin to a game of chance and hence, forbidden.
5 Freedom from Price Control and Manipulation
Islam envisages a free market where prices are determined by forces of demand and supply. There should be no interference in the price formation process even by the regulators. It may be noted here that while price control and fixation is generally accepted as unIslamic, some scholars, such as, Imam Ibn Taimiya admit of its permissibility. Such permissibility is subject to the condition that price fixation is intended to combat cases of market anomalies caused by impairing the conditions of free competition. It is a requirement that the forces of demand and supply should be genuine and free from any artificial element. Islam therefore, condemns any attempts to influence prices through creating artificial shortage of supply (ihtikar). Similarly, any attempt to bid up the prices by creating artificial demand is considered unethical. Such an action of bidding up the price without an intention to take delivery is termed as najas and is not permissible.
6 Entitlement to Transact at Fair Prices
Prices that are an outcome of free play of forces of demand and supply without any intervention or manipulation are believed to be fair. However, in some instances, pricing is based on a valuation exercise. In such cases the difference between the price at which a transaction is executed and the fair price (as per the opinion of valuation experts) is termed as ghubn. The presence of ghubn makes a transaction unethical.
7 Entitlement to Equal, Adequate and Accurate Information
Islam attaches great importance to the role of information in the market. Release of inaccurate information is forbidden. The concealment of vital information (ghish) also violates the norms of Islamic ethics and according to the traditions of the holy prophet, the informational disadvantaged party at the time of the entering into the contract has the option to annul the contract. The traditions refer to price information in the market as well as other information relevant for valuation of the commodity.
8. Freedom from Darar (Detriment)
This refers to the possibility of a third party being adversely affected by a contract between two parties. If a contract between two parties executed with their mutual consent is detrimental to the interests of a third party, then it may enjoy certain rights and options. A case in point is the pre-emptive right (al-shufa) of a partner in joint ownership. This pre-emptive right may be extended by analogy, to a situation where existing minority shareholders are being adversely affected by any decision of the controlling shareholders, such as, to sell additional stocks to the public, to effect a change in management, asset sale, mergers and acquisitions etc. The list of norms of Islamic ethics stated above is by no means exhaustive. It differs from the norms of mainstream financial ethics significantly - in imposing injunctions against al-riba, al-qimar, and al-maysir.
9. Maslahah Mursalah (Unrestricted Public Interest)
Problems such as above may be resolved in the framework of maslahah mursala or “unrestricted” public interest, which is a valid framework of Islamic legislation. The framework is called “unrestricted” public interest on account of its being undefined by the established rules of Shariah. Maslahah consists of “considerations which secure a benefit or prevent a harm but are, in the mean time, harmonious with the objectives (maqasid) of Shariah. These objectives consist of protecting five essential values, namely, religion, life, intellect, lineage and property, which have a much wider scope and meaning. For instance, protecting the right to live includes protecting the means, which facilitate an honorable life, such as, freedom to work and travel. Protection of property requires defending the right of ownership. It also means facilitating fair trade and lawful exchange of goods and services in the community. Any measure which secures these values falls within the scope of maslahah and anything which violates them is mafsadah (evil), and preventing the latter is also maslahah”.
This article is a part of “Ethics And Efficiency In Islamic Stock Markets” By Mohammed Obaidullah
The basic principles which govern the rights and obligations of participants in the stock markets are established from the relevant verses of the holy Quran and from the Sunnah. Here is some important norms of Islamic ethics as are applicable to stock markets. All these norms may form the basis of regulation and legislation relating to stock markets.
1. Freedom to Contract
Islam provides a basic freedom to enter into transactions. The holy Quran says: Allah has made trade lawful.(2:275). Further, no contract is valid if it involves an element of coercion for either of the parties. The holy Quran also says: let there be among you traffic and trade by mutual goodwill (4:29). However, this basic norm does not imply unbridled freedom to contract and may be sacrificed when there is a trade-off with other norms requiring specific injunctions as in the case of the framework for conventional finance highlighted above.
2. Freedom from Al Riba
All forms of contracts and transactions must be free from riba. This implies that there is no reward for time preference and under conditions of zero risk. The question of riba has been addressed in a large body of literature and there is a general consensus about the meaning and implications of riba.
3. Freedom from Al Gharar (Excessive Uncertainty)
All forms of contracts and transactions must be free from excessive gharar. This implies that contracting under conditions of excessive uncertainty is not permissible. Islamic scholars have identified the conditions and highlighted situations that involve excessive uncertainty and consequently, disallow a contract.
4. Freedom from Al-Qimar (gambling) and Al-Maysir (Unearned Income)
As highlighted so well in the study under review, contracting under excessive uncertainty or gharar is akin to gambling (al-qimar). And uninformed speculation in its worst form, is also akin to gambling (al-qimar). The holy Quran and the traditions of the holy prophet explicitly prohibit gains made from games of chance which involve unearned income (al-maysir). Here it may be noted that the term speculation has different connotations. It always involves an attempt to predict the future outcome of an event. But the process may or may not be backed by collection, analysis and interpretation of relevant information. The former case is very much in conformity with Islamic rationality. An Islamic economic unit is required to assume risk after making a proper assessment of risk with the help of information. All business decisions involve speculation in this sense. It is only the gross absence of value-relevant information or conditions of excessive uncertainty that makes speculation akin to a game of chance and hence, forbidden.
5 Freedom from Price Control and Manipulation
Islam envisages a free market where prices are determined by forces of demand and supply. There should be no interference in the price formation process even by the regulators. It may be noted here that while price control and fixation is generally accepted as unIslamic, some scholars, such as, Imam Ibn Taimiya admit of its permissibility. Such permissibility is subject to the condition that price fixation is intended to combat cases of market anomalies caused by impairing the conditions of free competition. It is a requirement that the forces of demand and supply should be genuine and free from any artificial element. Islam therefore, condemns any attempts to influence prices through creating artificial shortage of supply (ihtikar). Similarly, any attempt to bid up the prices by creating artificial demand is considered unethical. Such an action of bidding up the price without an intention to take delivery is termed as najas and is not permissible.
6 Entitlement to Transact at Fair Prices
Prices that are an outcome of free play of forces of demand and supply without any intervention or manipulation are believed to be fair. However, in some instances, pricing is based on a valuation exercise. In such cases the difference between the price at which a transaction is executed and the fair price (as per the opinion of valuation experts) is termed as ghubn. The presence of ghubn makes a transaction unethical.
7 Entitlement to Equal, Adequate and Accurate Information
Islam attaches great importance to the role of information in the market. Release of inaccurate information is forbidden. The concealment of vital information (ghish) also violates the norms of Islamic ethics and according to the traditions of the holy prophet, the informational disadvantaged party at the time of the entering into the contract has the option to annul the contract. The traditions refer to price information in the market as well as other information relevant for valuation of the commodity.
8. Freedom from Darar (Detriment)
This refers to the possibility of a third party being adversely affected by a contract between two parties. If a contract between two parties executed with their mutual consent is detrimental to the interests of a third party, then it may enjoy certain rights and options. A case in point is the pre-emptive right (al-shufa) of a partner in joint ownership. This pre-emptive right may be extended by analogy, to a situation where existing minority shareholders are being adversely affected by any decision of the controlling shareholders, such as, to sell additional stocks to the public, to effect a change in management, asset sale, mergers and acquisitions etc. The list of norms of Islamic ethics stated above is by no means exhaustive. It differs from the norms of mainstream financial ethics significantly - in imposing injunctions against al-riba, al-qimar, and al-maysir.
9. Maslahah Mursalah (Unrestricted Public Interest)
Problems such as above may be resolved in the framework of maslahah mursala or “unrestricted” public interest, which is a valid framework of Islamic legislation. The framework is called “unrestricted” public interest on account of its being undefined by the established rules of Shariah. Maslahah consists of “considerations which secure a benefit or prevent a harm but are, in the mean time, harmonious with the objectives (maqasid) of Shariah. These objectives consist of protecting five essential values, namely, religion, life, intellect, lineage and property, which have a much wider scope and meaning. For instance, protecting the right to live includes protecting the means, which facilitate an honorable life, such as, freedom to work and travel. Protection of property requires defending the right of ownership. It also means facilitating fair trade and lawful exchange of goods and services in the community. Any measure which secures these values falls within the scope of maslahah and anything which violates them is mafsadah (evil), and preventing the latter is also maslahah”.
This article is a part of “Ethics And Efficiency In Islamic Stock Markets” By Mohammed Obaidullah
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