イスラム金融については以前ちょこっと触れましたが、ファイナンシャルタイムズにイスラム金融に関する記事がありましたので紹介します。記事の全体については引用した部分を見ていただくとして、ぼくが気になったのは以下のポイントです。
The growth of Islamic finance, he maintained, was driven by the interest in more ethical investing. “In an age of greed, well publicised corporate corruption and increased awareness of the social role and responsibility of corporations, investing in Islamic finance is a refreshing alternative,” he said.
最近は、CSRとか、ソーシャルアントレプレナーという言葉をよく目にするようになりましたが、人々が企業の社会的役割、責任といったものをより重視するようになれば、反道徳的な事業への融資を禁止しているイスラム金融に対する注目が高まっていくのも自然な流れかもしれません。金融機関としては、オイルマネーを取り込みたいということもあるでしょうが、それに加えてこのような視点を持つことによって、さらなる社会的役割を果たしつつ、より広範囲な投資家に商品を提供していけるのかもしれません。
もちろんイスラム金融という一つの世界だけではなく、（単純な拡張というわけではありませんが）より広範囲なSRIといった視点が重要になってくるのでしょう。小さなトレンドを見ることも大切かもしれませんが、こうした大きなトレンドを見ることはもっと大切かもしれません。常にこういう視点を持ち続けていけたら、と思います。
少し長いですが全文を引用しておきます（こういうのって、引用元さえきちんと明記しておけば引用しても構わないんですよね、、、？）。
Islamic finance seeks independence from politics
By Roula Khalaf in Dubai
Published: November 18 2007 15:39 | Last updated: November 18 2007 15:39
Islamic finance experts are trying to disassociate the industry from political Islam, fearing the amalgamation could create a backlash in the west as the sector surges forward in its integration into the global economy.
Nasser al-Shaali, chief executive officer of the Dubai International Financial Centre Authority, on Sunday cited the need to disassociate Islamic finance from politics as one of the industry’s challenges.
The phenomenal rise of Islamic finance, a market now estimated at $750bn, with a growth rate of about 15 per cent a year, has coincided with a broader move among Muslim populations to assert their identity.
While it is true that the global war against terrorism waged by the US and its allies has intensified the search for solutions within Islam, enhancing the popularity of Islamist political movements, Islamic finance experts insist that the factors behind the sector’s development have far more to do with economics than politics.
“There’s a minority view that links political Islam with Islamic finance but that view needs to be eliminated,” Mr al-Shaali told FT.com. “We’ve sent the spectre of protectionism in the US and Europe and we cannot tolerate to see it spill over into Islamic finance.”
Islamic financial products, he added, appealed not only to Muslims. “By some estimates, subscription levels for sukuks [Islamic bonds] are 50 per cent from non-Muslim investors.”
Mr al-Shaali said there was a need to raise awareness about the industry and better communicate what it’s about to decision-makers abroad.
The growth of Islamic finance, he maintained, was driven by the interest in more ethical investing. “In an age of greed, well publicised corporate corruption and increased awareness of the social role and responsibility of corporations, investing in Islamic finance is a refreshing alternative,” he said.
Sheikh Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo, chief Shariah officer at Shariah Capital, a DIFC-based advisory company, said in a separate interview that the industry’s growth had most to do with its ability to compete with conventional banking.
“In the last 10 years, we begun to compete with conventional institutions, we can provide the same levels of service and perform with the same bottom line,” he said.
Humayon Dar, chief executive officer of BMB Islamic, a London-based advisory firm, said Islamic financial products are designed to appeal to moderate Muslims.
“Islamic finance is a modernist movement in Islamic communities,” he told FT.com. “It has no political agenda – it’s about a new Islamic identity for moderate Muslims and an attempt to bring Muslims out of the mosque and into the market they interact and trade with people.”
He noted that for the first time, Islamic clerics were dealing with the “torch bearers of capitalism.” If funds from the region are not going into the US as fast as in the past, he added, it was not due to a lack of interest by investors but is rather blamed on the difficulty of accessing the American market.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
もとの記事はこちらから。
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30effdf0-95eb-11dc-b7ec-0000779fd2ac.html
（11月19日 追記）
若干ですが関連した記事がありましたので、リンクを追加しておきます。
イスラム金融よ日本に！ 銀行の業務範囲拡大へ
最近はイスラム金融に関する日本語書籍も増えてきているようなので、とりあえず1冊くらいは読んでみようかと思います。
（11月20日 追記）
ブービヤンとアトラス、日本で初めてイスラム金融活用し国内不動産取得
（11月21日 追記）
Ｓ＆Ｐと東証、イスラム投資家向け日本株指数を開発
中東マネー狙いイスラムファンド認可 香港
最近は、イスラム金融関係のニュースが非常に多いですね。
