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Experiments in Islamic microfinance

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  • El-Komi, Mohamed
  • Croson, Rachel

Abstract

Microfinance has been identified as an important tool in increasing the productivity of the poor and in aiding economic development. However, a large proportion of the poor are practicing Muslims, and are thus unable to take advantage of traditional microfinance contracts which involve the payment of interest. This paper describes and experimentally tests Islamic-compliant microfinance products in the context of information asymmetry and costly state verification. We find significantly higher compliance rates for the Islamic-compliant contracts (profit-sharing and joint venture) than for the traditional contract (interest-based). We believe that there is great promise for these types of loans in the microfinance context, for both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Suggested Citation

  • El-Komi, Mohamed & Croson, Rachel, 2013. "Experiments in Islamic microfinance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 252-269.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:95:y:2013:i:c:p:252-269
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2012.08.009
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    2. Mahreen Mahmud, 2015. "Act Now: Microcredit with Voluntary Contributions and Zero Interest Rate - Evidence from Pakistan," Studies in Economics 1513, School of Economics, University of Kent.
    3. Jamila Abubakar & Ahmet Faruk Aysan, 2022. "Research Trends in the Field of Islamic Social Finance," Eurasian Studies in Business and Economics, in: Mehmet Huseyin Bilgin & Hakan Danis & Ender Demir & Virginia Bodolica (ed.), Eurasian Business and Economics Perspectives, pages 253-268, Springer.
    4. Hassan, M. Kabir & Aliyu, Sirajo, 2018. "A contemporary survey of islamic banking literature," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 12-43.
    5. Rahajeng, DIAN, 2013. "The Role of Islamic Banking System as the Milestone towards Indonesia Micro Economy Development," MPRA Paper 50465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Muhammad Saeed Iqbal & Sofi Mohd Fikri, 2025. "Resilience in Islamic Microfinance: Examining Women, Organizations, and Agricultural Consumers’ Impact on Credit Risk," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(5), pages 16996-17018, November.
    7. Mohamed, Toka S. & Elgammal, Mohammed M., 2023. "Credit risk in Islamic microfinance institutions: The role of women, groups, and rural borrowers," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    8. Cameron, Alistair & Oak, Mandar & Shan, Yaping, 2021. "Peer monitoring and Islamic microfinance," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 337-358.
    9. Muhammad Nouman & Karim Ullah & Saleem Gul, 2018. "Why Islamic Banks Tend to Avoid Participatory Financing? A Demand, Regulation, and Uncertainty Framework," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-32, March.
    10. Reazul Islam & Rubi Ahmad, 2020. "Applicability of Mudarabah and Musharakah as Islamic Micro-equity Finance to Underprivileged Women in Malaysia," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(1), pages 176-197, January.
    11. Shaikh, Salman ahmed, 2014. "Towards a Sustainable Islamic Microfinance Model in Pakistan," MPRA Paper 68748, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Shahid Razzaque, 2019. "Choice of Microfinance Contracts and Repayment Rates under Individual Lending: An Artefactual Field Experiment from Pakistan," PIDE-Working Papers 2019:166, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    13. Hassan, M. Kabir & Alshater, Muneer M. & Hasan, Rashedul & Bhuiyan, Abul Bashar, 2021. "Islamic microfinance: A bibliometric review," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    14. Saida Daly & Mohamed Frikha, 2016. "Banks and economic growth in developing countries: What about Islamic banks?," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 1168728-116, December.
    15. I. Berguiga & Y.Ben Said & P. Adair, 2020. "The Social and Financial Performance of Microfinance Institutions in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Do Islamic Institutions Outperform Conventional Institutions?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(7), pages 1075-1100, October.
    16. Nathan Berg & Jeong-Yoo Kim, 2013. "Prohibition of Riba and Gharar: A signaling and screening explanation?," Working Papers 1314, University of Otago, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2013.
    17. Muhammad Nouman & Karim Ullah, 2014. "Constraints in the Application of Partnerships in Islamic Banks: The Present Contributions and Future Directions," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 6(2), pages 47-62, October.
    18. Ahmet Faruk Aysan & Jamila Abubakar, 2021. "The Ascent of Islamic Social Finance Reserach," Working Papers hal-03341729, HAL.
    19. Imène Berguiga & Yosra Said & Philippe Adair, 2017. "The social and financial performance of Microfinance institutions in the MENA region: Do Islamic institutions perform better?," Post-Print hal-01667406, HAL.
    20. A. S. Usman & R. Tasmin & Z. K. A. B Ulum, 2019. "The Role of Entrepreneurial Empowerment in the Relationship between Islamic Microfinance and Well-being of Clients: A View from a Service Provider," Islamic Economic Studies, The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI), vol. 26, pages 73-93.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General

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