Comments on: What Islamic finance can offer

By: paintcan

paintcan — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:12:09 +0000

There are at least five major religious traditions in the world and even when they ruled their respective roosts, their attitudes could fall “on deaf ears” as you say. Economics has had to evolve around or out from under them. Everyone has an instinctive need to deal “fairly” but the “fine print” can change those notions beyond recognition.

I can’t imagine that Islam – even with a billion adherents, is really going to ever be able to do more than provide a “flavor” of banking and financial ethics. In it’s own heydays, I’m sure even the Sultans weren’t beyond bending rules when they felt they could get away with it. It must help to have some house trained clerics around the palace. It’s always nice to have a “Richelieu” so to speak. Removing the heads of critics helps too. In the big picture – they weren’t always actually playing fair at all.

BTW – Notice how Gabrielli has been forgotten in a matter of a few months? Religion isn’t the last word on a blessed or damned thing. Not anymore it isn’t. In 60 years I haven’t seen it yet.

All there ever really seems to be is “thinking about it”.

But you really have a good heart, Mr. Hadas.

By: covertice

covertice — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:54:23 +0000

financial infiltration into american culture so they can have a foot in the door to spread their hypocritical religion. I sense a bomb coming!

By: Ian_Kemmish

Ian_Kemmish — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:02:45 +0000

Well, I wouldn’t mind doing business with a Sufi, but don’t forget the doctrine of Taqiyya (broadly translated as dissimulation), which is a matter of dogma in Shia and a matter of practice in Wahabi Islam.

Just think of that Iiam who tells his congregation that the Q/uran orders all women and all girls to wear a hijab (it doesn’t). Is he going to bat an eyelid at telling his congregation that it is entirely moral to rip off Westerners? I think not.

By: tmc

tmc — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:07:50 +0000

Wow, another great piece. You have a streak going. I’m surprised that you didn’t juxtapose the Chinese approach of less or no religion and far more enforced discipline. I’m not sure their model will hold very long, but I’ll bet it has another century at least. They also seem able to adapt to social changes more efficiently too.