Islamic investment behaviour

Abstract

Purpose In the past decade, there has been strong growth in Islamic finance and banking across the globe, there is little empirical evidence on the impact of religiosity on financial decisions. This paper aims to address this issue. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses an experimental design to investigate the investment behaviours of a group of Muslims. Findings The paper finds that Islam does influence investment behaviour, however, the degree to which it does this is influenced by the degree of religiosity of the individual. In addition, evidence is found of “Western style” wealth maximisation amongst Muslim investors as well as a desire to consider sustainable investment principles in asset allocations. Research limitations/implications These findings have implications for investors, financial advisors, and policy makers. Originality/value The paper is original its use of the experimental design to test the impact of religiosity in the context of investment decisions by Muslims.