Press Release: MALAYSIA TO HOST 2nd WORLD CONFERENCE ON RIBA
MALAYSIA TO HOST 2nd WORLD CONFERENCE ON RIBA
“Riba is no longer an ‘Islamic’ issue. The term could be different, some may call it interest, some may call it usury, but the effect is felt by everyone, irrespective of their race or religion,” Professor Ahamed Kameel, International Islamic University Malaysia.
With the theme “The Riba Conundrum: Impartial Outlook from Accounting, Legal and Religious Perspectives”, the conference will be held at the Tun Hussein Onn Hall, Putra World Trade Centre.
Conference Convener, Professor Dr. Ahamed Kameel Mydin Meera said that the conference will critically look at the element of interest, commonly known asRiba in Islamic finance from the banking and accounting perspectives. It also aims to take Islamic banking as it is practised today to the next level and re-visit the legal tender law to mitigate the use of ‘fiat’ money with gold or community currencies.
“The inaugural World Conference on Riba which was held last November received tremendous support from both Islamic and Western scholars, as well as industry leaders. We discussed the issue of Riba amid signals of another financial crisis looming. This was despite constant reports of economic recovery,” he said.
“Almost nine months later, we see turmoil in Arab countries, weakening US$, sharp rise in gold prices, countries going bankrupt and many other worrying financial developments--- all signalling that the discourse on Riba is even more pertinent in addressing entrenched financial practices which correspond directly to the political and economic upheavals around the world,” said Kameel who is also the Head of Department of Finance, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
Kameel, the author of the highly critically acclaimed book, The Theft of Nations said Riba is no longer an isolated term which is relevant only to the Islamic finance.
“Riba is no longer an ‘Islamic’ issue. The term could be different, some may call it interest, some will call it usury, but the effect is felt by everyone, irrespective of race or religion.”
According to the Organizing Committee Chairman, Shirazdeen Adam Shah, the second conference will be a continuation of the first especially on the discussion of the core meaning of Riba itself.
“The conference will continue the discussion on the core meaning of Riba – from religious, scientific and economic perspectives. Additionally, this year the discussions by the intellectuals, business community and the policy makers will revolve around one central theme which is the relationship between accounting standards, legal tender and Riba.”
“The key question remains: Can we blame the practice of Riba for the current global economic and political turmoil? If so, what can be done to mitigate the issue? This is what the conference is all about,” reiterated Shiraz.
Leading speakers for this conference will include Attorney and President of the Public Banking Institute (USA) Ellen Hodgson Brown, Founder of the Global Exchange Trading Systems (UK) Richard Logie, Founder and Chairman of the al-Ghazzali Centre for Islamic Sciences and Human Development (Australia) Imam Afroz Ali, former CEO of Bank Muamalat Datuk A. Manap Wahab, Rector of Kolej University Islam Selangor Professor Datuk Dr Aziuddin Ahmad, Dean of the Graduate School of Management Universiti Putra Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Arfah Salleh and many others.
He added that there is an overwhelming response for the conference, with participants from all over the world including United States, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Canada, Jordan, Indonesia and Singapore among the 200 who have registered till date. However, he said that there are limited spaces left.
The two day conference is organised by Thinkers Trends Resources Sdn Bhd, Kulliyah of Economics & Management Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia and Kolej University Islam Antarabangsa Selangor. For more information, please visit www.worldribaconference.org
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento