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How Islamic are Islamic Countries?

Author

Listed:
  • Rehman Scheherazade S.

    (The George Washington University)

  • Askari Hossein

    (The George Washington University)

Abstract

In the post 9/11 era, there is growing interest in the complex relationship between religion, economics, finance, politics, law, and social behavior. This has brought with it a disagreement on how to investigate the impact of religiosity, whether religion affects the economic, political, and social outlook of countries or whether these factors affect religiosity? In other words, should religion be viewed as a dependent or an independent variable? In this paper we ask what we believe to be the precursor question to such linkages, namely, do self-declared Islamic countries, as attested by membership in the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference), embrace policies that are founded on Islamic teachings? We believe that only once this question is addressed can one begin to estimate how Islam adherence to Islam may affect economic, political and social behavior. In the first part of the paper we present what we believe should be the characteristics and scaffolding of an "Islamic" country. We base our depiction on the Quran, and the life, practices and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad -- the two principal channels that provide Muslims with the road map. In the second part, we develop an index to measure the "Islamicity" of Islamic and non-Islamic countries. This IslamicityIndex (or I2) measures 208 countries adherence to Islamic principles using four sub-indices related to economics, legal and governance, human and political rights, and international relations.

Suggested Citation

  • Rehman Scheherazade S. & Askari Hossein, 2010. "How Islamic are Islamic Countries?," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(2), pages 1-40, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:glecon:v:10:y:2010:i:2:n:2
    DOI: 10.2202/1524-5861.1614
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:abd:kauiea:v:31:y:2018:i:1:p:3-26 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Askari Hossein & Rehman Scheherazade S. & Arfaa Noora, 2012. "Corruption: A View from the Persian Gulf," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-36, March.
    3. Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi & Nurul Syahida Mat Rodzi & Norazmi Anas & Zarinatun Ilyani Abdul Rahman, 2017. "Islamic Aqeedah Compliance Index for Human Development from Maqasid Syariah Perspectives: A Systematic Review Career Thinking and the Vocational Situation of Form Four Students," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(12), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Syed Ali, Salman & Hasan, Hamid, 2014. "Towards a Maqasid al-Shariah based Development Index," Working Papers 1435-18, The Islamic Research and Teaching Institute (IRTI).
    5. Muhammad Amri & Saidna Zulfiqar A. Bin Tahir & Salman Ahmad, 2017. "The Implementation of Islamic Teaching in Multiculturalism Society: A Case Study at Pesantren Schools in Indonesia," Asian Social Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(6), pages 125-125, June.
    6. Necati Aydin & Aljawhara Ibrahim Alquayid, 2019. "Market Reality Versus Religious Morality: Empirical Evidence from the Saudi Arabian Labor Market," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 679-698, May.
    7. Adel Benhamed & Mohamed Sadok Gassouma, 2023. "Preventing Oil Shock Inflation: Sustainable Development Mechanisms vs. Islamic Mechanisms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Engku Ahmad Zaki Engku Alwi & Norazmi Anas & Wan Rohani Wan Taib & Mohd. Hudzari Razali & Hartini Mohd. Rosli & Hasni Suhana Mat Hassan & Intan Noorazlina Abdul Rahim, 2017. "A Review of Islamic Aqeedah Compliance Index (IACI) from Malaysian Perspectives," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 7(11), pages 1449-1461, November.
    9. Raphie Hayat & Frank Butter & Udo Kock, 2013. "Halal Certification for Financial Products: A Transaction Cost Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 601-613, October.
    10. Azmi, Muhammad Saifullah & Masih, Mansur, 2018. "Does education expenditure lead or lag GDP ? Malaysian evidence," MPRA Paper 108891, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Sabur Mollah & M. Kabir Hassan & Omar Farooque & Asma Mobarek, 2017. "The governance, risk-taking, and performance of Islamic banks," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 51(2), pages 195-219, April.
    12. Azmat, Saad & Skully, Michael & Brown, Kym, 2017. "The (little) difference that makes all the difference between Islamic and conventional bonds," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 46-59.
    13. Mohamed Sadok Gassouma & Adel Benhamed, 2023. "The Impact of the Islamic System on Economic and Social Factors: A Macroeconomic Uncertainty Context," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, December.
    14. Rehman Scheherazade S. & Askari Hossein, 2010. "An Economic IslamicityIndex (EI)," Global Economy Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(3), pages 1-39, October.
    15. Murat Çokgezen, 2016. "Islamic economics in real life: Do Muslims give more than the others?," Working Papers hal-01349872, HAL.
    16. Salman Syed Ali & Hamid Hasan, 2018. "Measuring Deprivation from Maqasid al-Shariah Dimensions in OIC Countries: Ranking and Policy Focus قياس الحرمان من خلال أبعاد مقاصد الشريعة في دول منظمة التعاون الإسلامي: الترتيب ونقاط التركيز السياس," Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics, King Abdulaziz University, Islamic Economics Institute., vol. 31(1), pages 3-26, January.

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