Beyond Profit: A Faith-Driven Framework for Customer Satisfaction in Melaka’s Islamic Financing Sector

Islamic finance has gained prominence as a value-based alternative to conventional banking, especially in Muslim-majority countries like Malaysia. Despite national-level growth, the impact and reception of Islamic financing in regional contexts such as Melaka remain under-explored. This conceptual paper proposes a framework to examine customer satisfaction with Islamic financing services in Melaka, integrating Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the SERVQUAL model, and core Islamic finance principles such as Shariah compliance. The framework identifies five key determinants of customer satisfaction: Shariah compliance, service quality, transparency, customer trust, and product accessibility. The research further introduces religiosity as a moderating variable that intensifies the impact of these determinants; particularly Shariah compliance and trust on customer satisfaction. This study advances the theoretical understanding of Islamic consumer behavior by contextualizing satisfaction within both behavioral and ethical-religious paradigms. It acknowledges that Muslim consumers’ satisfaction extends beyond functional service elements to include alignment with spiritual and moral values. While grounded in established models, the framework addresses gaps in the literature by emphasizing regional dynamics and the interplay of religiosity. The paper concludes by highlighting practical implications for Islamic financial institutions in Melaka and similar markets, offering actionable insights for enhancing customer loyalty, service design, and ethical financial engagement. The proposed model also sets a foundation for future empirical testing and refinement within semi-urban Islamic finance landscapes.