Conventional and Islamic Investment Firms
AU-1.1.23
Investment firm licensees may deal in both conventional and Islamicfinancial instruments . Only thoseinvestment firm licensees whose operations are fully shari'a compliant, however, may hold themselves out to be anIslamic investment firm .Amended: July 2007AU-1.1.24
Where
licensees are undertaking regulated activities in accordance with Shari'a, all transactions and contracts concluded byinvestment firm licensees must comply with Shari’a standards issued by the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). The validity of the contract or transaction is not impacted, if at a later date, the relevant AAOIFI Shari’a standard are amended.Amended: January 2022
Amended: October 2014
Amended: April 2013
Amended: October 2009
July 2007AU-1.1.24A
In accordance with Paragraph HC-9.2.1, Category 1 and 2
Islamic investment firms must maintain a Shari'a Supervisory Board, comprised of at least 3 Shari'a board members, to verify that their operations are Shari'a compliant.Added: October 2014AU-1.1.24B
Category 3 and Category 4
Islamic investment firms must appoint a minimum of one Shari'a advisor or scholar to verify that their operations are Shari'a compliant.Amended: January 2022
Added: October 2014AU-1.1.25
Investment firm licensees (whether conventional or Islamic) may not accept shari'a money placements or deposits. They may not enter into shari'a financing contracts (except where it is an incidental part of assisting a client to buy, sell, subscribe for orunderwrite a financial instrument). Finally, they may not offer Shari'a Profit Sharing Investment Accounts (whether restricted or unrestricted).Amended: October 2012
Amended: July 2007AU-1.1.26
Shari'a money placements or deposits include money taken under q'ard or al-wadia contracts. Shari'a financing contracts include contracts such as murabaha, bay muajjal, bay islam, ijara wa iktina and istisna'a. Profit sharing investment accounts include those accounts undertaken under mudaraba and musharaka contracts.
AU-1.1.27
The transactions prohibited under Rule AU-1.1.25 may only be undertaken by bank licensees.