BANGI, August 26 - The importance of highlighting the unique quality of Islamic finance needs to be understood clearly by professionals and put into practice in the banking industry and the Islamic finance practitioners.

The Vice Chancellor of the Universiti Islam Selangor (UIS) Datuk Professor Dr. Mohd Farid Ravi Abdullah said, the emphasis on Islamic finance will highlight the unique quality in the industry.

It prioritises three critical values which are value-adding, value based and ethics value.

“These three values are needed to be understood and practised in the Islamic banking and finance industry,” he said in the 4th Islamic Finance Professional Certificates award ceremony, here.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) Ratna Sha'erah Kamaludin said with the professional recognition and certification, it is seen as improving the skills of Islamic practitioners.

“Two short courses which are the Certificate in Shariah for Banking and Finance (CSBF) and the Certificate in Shariah Economy for Banking and Finance (CSEBF), International Research Centre of Islamic Economics and Finance (IRCIEF) UIS are seen to be on the right track to increase the nation's human capital in the Islamic finance sector.

“It aligns with the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s aspirations in applying the Islamic economy in Islamic finance operation,” he said in the same ceremony.

The Best Participant Award recipient for CSEBF who is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Muamalat (FEM), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) Dr. Wan A’tirah binti Mahyudin, 33, deepening her knowledge in the same field is never harmful and even enjoyable.

“One of the strengths in this Islamic Finance Professional course is the aspect of shariah knowledge. A thorough discussion on basic shariah is very good and completes the knowledge of banking and other Islamic finance.

“In fact, I feel like even though I’ve been in this industry and now teaching in Islamic Banking and Finance, I can deepen my knowledge and understand the current scenario related to sharia aspects more thoroughly," he said.

While Madinah Islamic University students in Shariah studies who are also the CSBF recipients; Ukail Ahmad Sanif, also took advantage of the professional certificate studies offered by IRCIEF-UIS.

"Professional courses that delve into Shariah-compliant financial systems are very beneficial, not to mention that they also discuss the application of Shariah in Islamic banking products such as sukuk and bay' bithaman ajil.

"In addition, it is in line with the concept of environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability, " he said.

In the meantime, in addition to celebrating the achievements of the professionals, the ceremony also emphasised the continuous commitment to advance Islamic finance education and practice by IRCIEF-UIS.

Since being offered in 2019, IRCIEF-UIS has now provided professional services to a total of 182 graduates.