Books

The foundational text. Defines Murābaḥah, Ijārah, Mushārakah, and addresses head-on the question of whether contemporary Islamic banking products are genuinely compliant or are ḥiyal. Required reading before forming any opinion on this notebook's Audit section.

His 1999 Supreme Court judgment in Pakistan declaring interest-based banking unconstitutional under Islamic law. The most rigorous single document on what riba is and why the distinction between ribā al-faḍl and ribā al-nasīʾa matters for modern finance.

The reference text for muʿāmalāt — the fiqh of transactions. Essential for evaluating the underlying contract of any product, which is what determines its real status.

The chapter on riba is canonical for English-reading Muslims. Used here for breadth more than depth — al-Qaraḍāwī’s positions on contemporary applications are sometimes more permissive than the Hanafī or Salafī mainstream and serve as a useful comparative voice.

Reference for the classical understanding of riba's two categories and the rationale (ʿillah) of the prohibition. Cited when modern scholars are interpreting a classical position.

Comparative madhhab work — invaluable when a contemporary scholar's opinion needs to be located within the historical range of positions across the four schools.

Useful for the Playbook section — addresses modern instruments (derivatives, options) that don't have direct classical parallels.

Used for understanding why the Qurʾān's prohibition of riba unfolded in stages (al-Rūm, al-Nisāʾ, Āl ʿImrān, al-Baqarah) — referenced in the Why section.