INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
in Islamic finance is not only procedural but also principled, safeguarding the moral and fiduciary objectives of
Islamic financial systems.
Shariah Non-compliance and Risk Management
The relationship between Shariah non-compliance (SNC) and risk management lies at the core of maintaining
the credibility, operational integrity, and sustainability of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs). In Islamic finance,
Shariah non-compliance risk refers to the possibility that financial transactions or instruments deviate from the
principles of Islamic law, leading to both financial and non-financial repercussions (Hassan, 2016; Bhatti, 2020).
When an IFI engages in transactions that inadvertently involve elements such as riba (interest), gharar (excessive
uncertainty), taghrir (deceptive risk), or ghubn (inequitable gain), the validity of those contracts becomes
questionable, potentially rendering the income derived from them impermissible (haram) (Rosly et al., 2017).
Such violations not only undermine the religious legitimacy of the institution but also trigger significant financial
risks through income purification, reputational damage, and erosion of depositor and investor confidence
(Hassan, 2016; Noor et al., 2024). As a result, effective risk management of Shariah non-compliance is
indispensable for safeguarding the fiduciary trust placed in Islamic finance and ensuring that institutions align
with both ethical and regulatory expectations.
From an institutional practice perspective, IFIs have progressively integrated Shariah risk management into their
governance and operational frameworks. The literature indicates that Shariah risk management is a relatively
underdeveloped but crucial discipline aimed at identifying, assessing, and mitigating non-compliance events
through systematic control mechanisms (Ghani, Ariffin, & Rahman, 2025; Noor et al., 2024). In Malaysia, for
instance, Islamic banks employ Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) such as the frequency of Shariah-related complaints,
the proportion of non-compliant income, and the adequacy of internal audit findings to measure and monitor risk
exposure (Noor et al., 2024). However, Ghani et al. (2025) highlight that despite the formal presence of Shariah
risk management units, their effectiveness remains largely unassessed, with many institutions treating
compliance as a procedural rather than strategic priority. Furthermore, Mohd Noor (2024) finds that in the case
of wakalah sukuk documents, disclosures of Shariah non-compliance risk and mitigation strategies are often
insufficient, reflecting a broader weakness in risk transparency across Islamic capital markets. To address this,
institutional best practices increasingly call for integrated control systems, continuous staff training, and the use
of stress testing to evaluate the resilience of Shariah compliance under operational and market pressures.
On the regulatory front, authorities and standard-setting bodies such as the Islamic Financial Services Board
(IFSB) and the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) have
emphasized embedding Shariah risk management into overall enterprise risk frameworks (Bhatti, 2020; Bacha,
2013). Regulatory responses have included guidelines mandating Shariah compliance audits, the appointment of
independent Shariah committees, and structured disclosure of SNC events to improve accountability.
Nonetheless, Bacha (2013) points out that a key challenge persists: the lack of Shariah-compliant risk
management tools that can replace or replicate conventional hedging instruments such as derivatives, which
remain controversial in Islamic jurisprudence. The absence of universally accepted risk management instruments
limits the ability of IFIs to hedge exposure effectively while remaining Shariah-compliant. Therefore, regulators
must strike a balance between innovation and compliance by encouraging research into permissible hedging
mechanisms, developing standardized Shariah-compliant financial risk tools, and enforcing risk-based Shariah
governance frameworks. Ultimately, managing Shariah non-compliance risk requires an integrated approach that
aligns institutional practices with robust regulatory standards, ensuring both operational efficiency and
adherence to Islamic ethical principles.
Shariah Non-compliance and Regulatory Responses
The relationship between Shariah non-compliance (SNC) and regulatory responses is central to ensuring the
integrity, accountability, and sustainability of Islamic finance. Shariah non-compliance risk refers to the
possibility that transactions, contracts, or operations of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs) deviate from the
principles of Islamic law, leading to operational, legal, and reputational consequences (Hassan, 2016; Bhatti,
2020). When SNC occurs, it not only challenges the validity of contracts but also results in significant financial
losses through the purification of non-compliant income, reclassification of assets, and erosion of stakeholder
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