Professor Dr. Kahf provides professional training and consultations to bankers, finance and investment specialists, legal advisors, etc. in the area of Islamic finance, banking and economics. He also provides expert opinions to courts in disputes related to Islamic finance. This is of course in addition to lecturing in the community on financial and economic awareness and financial and estate planning. Prof. Kahf’s training programs have always been evaluated top by both participants and training companies he works with. He has developed several training modules in Islamic banking and finance, Zakah, Trusts (Awqaf) and Islamic economics in general that he offers directly to financial institutions as in-house training or through reputed training companies such as Euromoney, Islamic Finance Training and others. Professor Dr. Kahf also offers in house courses in direct relation with Banks and other financial institutions. For info on Dr. Kahf’s Training courses you may contact him at monzer@kahf.com.Please click on the desired module for a brief introduction:
Additionally, modules can be customized on request for in-house training to suit special institutional needs
Structuring Islamic Financial Products
Statistics are routinely quoted to demonstrate the size and, more importantly, potential size of Shari’ah compliant finance on a global basis. One such estimate is that the market is valued at half a trillion US Dollar, and it grows at a yearly rate that exceeds 15%.
In light of such achievements, this four day training program covers the most important and widely used Shari’ah compliant products. It examines the foundations of Islamic finance, as well as a discussion of the principal contracts. Delegates will develop a detailed understanding of financing contracts, as well as structured hybrid products and the rules governing the structure of Islamic financial products.This intensive and interactive course aims to demystify Islamic finance and show how products are developed and structured. The course also aims to show how Islamic financial products compare to conventional products and can provide viable alternatives to traditional forms of financing.
The course is designed to provide a deep understanding of the following main points:
• Principles of Financial Contracts in Shari’ah
• Categories of Financial contracts in Shari’ah
• Shari’ah-Named Financing Contracts
• Characteristics of the Shari’ah-Named Financing Contracts
• Currency Transactions
• Prohibition of Riba (interest) and certain others such as Gharar, Riba al Fadl, gambling
• Gharar and its effects on financial products Structured Hybrid Islamic Financing contracts
• Basic rules of Structuring Islamic Financial Instruments and Products
• Corporate Finance in South East Asia compared to the Middle East
• Personal Finance in South East Asia compared to the Middle East
• Islamic financing versus interest-based financing
• Principles of Islamic Securitization, Islamic Bonds and Certificates
• Shari’ah conditions for negotiability
• Agents of securitization, who can securitize?
• Process and steps of securitization and Case Studies
Fundamentals of Islamic banking and Finance
This interactive and intensive course aims at providing the participants with the basic tools, concepts and principles of understanding how Islamic banks work, what are the fundamentals of their functions and how do they structure their financing and their resource mobilization without interest and without violating any of the rules and junctions of Shari’ah. This is a 4-day program that explains the background and most important characteristics of Islamic finance. The course will go on to examine the most commonly structured products, including capital markets instruments. Delegates will then have a chance to discuss the challenges facing Islamic finance.
The course agenda includes:
• Foundations of Islamic finance
• Banking practices in the history of the Islamic society
• Development of contemporary Islamic banks
• Definition and nature of an Islamic bank
• Salient features of Islamic banks
• Comparison and contrast with conventional banks
• Characteristics of Islamic banking
• Regulation of Islamic banks
• Monetary Policy in Islamic Framework: Objectives, Tools.
• Islamic re-definition of banking services
• Conventional banking services that are not permitted in Islamic banks
• Finance contracts In Islamic banks
• Currency Transactions and Riba al Fadl
• Earning Return by ownership, labor and guarantee
• Islamic Financial intermediation
• Prohibition of Riba (interest), Gharar, gambling, sale of what you don’t own, etc.
• Comparison between Islamic financing and interest-based financing
• Characteristics of the Shari’ah-Named Financing Contracts
• Hybrid Islamic Financing Contracts
• Growth of Islamic banking and new products
• Size of Islamic banking in
• Islamic Investment Funds
• New Products and Market financing
• Islamic Securitization and Sukuk
• Case Studies
Islamic Financial Engineering and Advanced Products
Islamic finance and financial products have undergone significant progress over the last three decades of the Twentieth Century. However the beginning of the new millennium witnessed a tremendous revolution in the Islamic financial products. New products and techniques are being continuously introduced day and night.
This new intensive four day course on Islamic Financial Engineering and Advanced Products follows on innovations in Islamic financial products. It is an advanced level course intended for those who are involved in developing new Islamic financial products and it builds on the concepts. The course will enable participants to develop a detailed understanding of core products such as Sukuk and Ijarah, as well as requisites for Islamic financial engineering and the contracts involved. The course will also cover in detail contracts for project financing and Islamic swap structures and uses.
The course outlines include:
• Why Islamic financing instruments?
• Financial contracts in Shariah and in common law
• Compatibility of f Financing contracts with Shari’ah
• Requisites for Islamic financial engineering
• Engineered Islamic financing contracts
• New approaches to Islamic financial engineering
• New financing contracts for liquidity engineering
• New financing contracts for corporations
• New financing contracts for government
• Securitization and Sukuk
• Ijarah-based Sukuk
• Revenues-generating property Sukuk
• Islamic swaps
Islamic Capital Markets
A new and rising trend in capital markets today is the growth of Islamic issues. Islamic securities are a new category and are developing rapidly.
This three-day course will provide an in-depth understanding of the Islamic capital markets and the forces that bring in Islamic securities. It will look at the nature of the Islamic issues and why they are introduced, who issues them, how this is done and what is the market demand for them. It will discuss the various structures of Islamic Sukuk, looking at their market rating and the legal and Shari’ah issues involved. It will also address issues involved in converting conventional bonds into Islamic securities and the rising Islamic investment funds and their structures.
The course is designed to show participants how the Islamic market is continuing to develop and opening up new structures. Participants will be able to gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of Islamic finance and this course would be most beneficial to practitioners who are focused on becoming involved in the opportunities this rising segment can offer.
This intensive three-day course provides a practical insight into:
?___ How Islamic products fit
?___ Who issues Islamic securities
?___ Structures of Islamic finance
?___ Bases of Islamic securities
?___ Types and structures of Sukuk
?___ Islamic investment funds
?___ Islamic hedge funds
Risk Management and Compliance with of Basel II in Islamic Banks
This four day course is designed for participants seeking an in –depth understanding of Risk Management Islamic banking principles. The course sets out the Concept of Risk management in Islamic Banking principles and then moves on to the practical aspects of applying them.It includes real life case studies and interactive exercises throughout the program.
Specifically this important training course aims at:
Understanding how Islamic banks work and the kind of risk they are exposed to and discussing the criteria of risk management from Shari’ah point of view and the Shari’ah-intrinsic techniques of risk management. It will also focus on studying the Basel II proposals of risk mitigation and how should they apply to Shari’ah banking and understanding the methodologies of calculating capital adequacy in Islamic banks and processes of monetary authorities’ supervision on Islamic banks
The agenda of this course includes:
• Islamic Banking in today’s World
• Islamic Law and finance
• Islamic Banking relation with Central banks
• Risks in Islamic banks
• Implications of the prohibition of interest
• Credit risk in Islamic banks
• Operational Risks in Islamic banks
• Market risks in Islamic banks
• Other risks: legal, withdrawal, Shari’ah confidence, litigation, etc.
• Capital adequacy and risks addressed by Basel II
• The First Pillar – Calculation of Minimum Capital Requirement to offset:
• The Second Pillar – Supervisory Review Process
• The Third Pillar – Market Discipline
• Sensitivity of Islamic banking operations to Basel II proposals
• The effect of restricted deposits, unrestricted deposits and deposits in current accounts on credit and other risks’ exposure in Islamic banks
• Monetary authority supervision: Does it make a difference?
• Market disclosure in Islamic banks: a serious administra-political problem!
• Managing risks in Islamic Banks
• Shari’ah-Intrinsic risk mitigation techniques
• Management processes and techniques of specific risks
Islamic Leasing (Ijarah)
This three-day Islamic Leasing course gives a new dimension to the concept and market of leasing; it is highly interactive and practical. The course is designed for professionals who are interested in Islamic financing and the Islamic capital market. The course provides an opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to compete effectively in this rapidly growing market of Islamic leasing. It aims to provide the participants with a comprehensive understanding of Islamic leasing and leasing-based securities. This training course is designed for professionals who are newly involved in Islamic leasing as well as those with some experience. It demonstrates the benefits of Shari’ah-compliant lease transactions for both the lessor and lessee and the variety of lease contracts the Shari’ah has to offer.
The course is designed for executives from banks, leasing companies, finance houses and equipment manufacturers. It will provide invaluable information particularly to risk managers, financial products developers and lawyers and analysts involved in financial innovation.
The agenda of the course includes:
• The Islamic Lease Contract
• The lease agreement in Shari’ah and civil laws:
• Islamic finance and leasing
• Object of lease contract: Usufruct/service; rentals
• Rental payment
• Conditions in lease
• Disposition of leased assets:
• Assignment of lease contract
• Hybrid Lease Financing Products
• Time value of money versus time value of properties
• Islamic lease and time value of money
• Islamic lease market
• Characteristics of Shari’ah-compliant lease financing
• Discounting of lease notes
• Financing lease documentation
• Islamic Lease hybrids
• Case Studies:
• Leasing Sukuk
• Securitization fervor
• Financing from outside the balance sheet
• Creation of a secondary market
• Development of Sukuk
• What are the Islamic Sukuk
• Processes of Ijarah Sukuk Issuance
• Risks of Ijarah Sukuk
• Sukuk and Fund Units
• Sukuk and Treasury Bonds
• Sukuk market 2006
• Sukuk Case Studies
Islamic Insurance (Takaful)
This three-day Intensive course provide practical information and drilling on one of the highly growing sub-sector of Islamic finance: the Islamic insurance. Islamic insurance is the Shari’ah-compliance version of general and life insurance. It started in 1979 but since the beginning of the new millennium it‘s been growing at 15-20% per annum. This training course is designed for professionals who are newly involved in Islamic insurance as well as those with some experience. It demonstrates the principles, concepts and practices of Shari’ah-compliant insurance and insurance saving schemes.
This interactive course is designed for executives from the insurance industry, banks, finance companies, finance houses and general practitioners. It will provide invaluable information particularly to insurance risk managers, financial products developers and lawyers and analysts involved in financial innovation.
The main items of the agenda of this course are:
Introduction: Insurance in the history of Islam
How does Shari’ah view Conventional Insurance?
Types of insurance and Shari’ah rulings
? By legal form of insurance provider:
? By object of insurance policy:
? By Approach to contracting:
Why Takaful?
The Takaful contract
Salient Characteristics of a Takaful organization:
Takaful versus Mutual Insurance: similarities/differences
Size of Takaful industry today
Takaful/Islamic Banking Integration
Legal structures of Takaful Companies:
Legal/Accounting treatment of funds and Profits and losses
Challenges to Takaful:
• Shari’ah challenges:
• Ignorance challenges: life!
• Marketing challenges:
• Re-insurance/re-Takaful challenge
Zakah Calculation and Distribution
This is a two day community service course. Its objective is to create community awareness of Zakah and its role in attacking the phenomenon of poverty. It discusses this third pillar of the Islamic religion, its evaluation, calculations, collection and distribution and the role of Muslim NGO’s in all these processes.
The agenda of this course includes:
• The Objectives of Zakah: purification, growth, uplifting and redistribution
• Zakatable items:
o Wealth items
o Income items
• Items exempt from Zakah
o Items for personal use,
o Items not under control,
o Items appropriated for exempt use
o Agricultural land
• Zakatability criteria: Nisab
• Calculation of Zakah in North America
• Collection of Zakah: government, charities, direct payment
• Distribution of Zakah
• The eight deserving categories
• Preferences within these eight categories
Islamic Estates Planning
This is a two day interactive course of the Islamic inheritance system, Awqaf and estate planning. Its focus is how to implement the Islamic inheritance law while living under non-Islamic laws. This course is also offered as a community service for Muslims who live under conventional laws of inheritance, especially in North America.
The main points covered in this course are:
? Objectives of Islamic estate planning
o Implementation of Shari’ah inheritance system
o Secondary objectives
? Shari’ah rulings on estate planning
? Characteristics of Islamic inheritance system
? Objectives of the Islamic inheritance system
? Reconciling Shari’ah with common law and how?
? Options in estate planning for Muslims under non-Islamic laws
? Awqaf: concept and history
? Trusts: kinds, relation to Awqaf.
? Kind of Awqaf
? How can the principle of Awqaf be used in estate planning:
? Family Waqf
? Charitable Waqf
? Living trusts and last wills
? Family corporations
FUNDAMENTALS OF SHARI’AH ISSUES IN ASSET MANAGEMENT
This one day workshop on Islamic compliance in asset management provides a comprehensive coverage of the Shari’ah requirement is asset management; it is highly interactive and practical. The workshop is designed for professionals who are interested in Islamic asset management and the Islamic capital market. It provides an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge necessary to compete effectively in this rapidly growing market.
The workshop is designed for executives from Islamic banks and banks in general, asset management companies and advisors and lawyers who deal with Islamic asset management and Islamic financing in general. It will provide invaluable information on the Shari’ah approaches of asset management.
OUTLINES
• Why Shari’ah compliance in finance?
• The three-fold Shari’ah compliance issues
? Avoidance of interest and other prohibited transactions
• The myth and truth about interest!
• What is prohibited and why?
• Fixation of return is not an issue
• Diversification and hedging
• Gharar-cum-gambling transactions
• Sale of what one does not own
• The issue of possession in securities deals
? Avoidance of prohibited products
• Objective of the prohibition?
• Permanent and temporal consideration
• Main objected products
? Implications of realism
• Real versus unreal properties
• Shari’ah preferences in asset holdings
• Return of unreal asset utilizations
• Degree of tolerance
• Does the Shari’ah tolerate prohibitions?
• The Shari’ah principle in asset management
• Exceptional situations
• Criteria of tolerance and variation
• Purification principle and its objectives
• Islamic REIT and other trusts
Training Shari’ah Scholars
This is a one day interactive workshop that aims at identifying the role and perspectives of Shari’ah advisors in a complex financial market and providing in-depth understanding of the role of Shari’ah Advisory Board and the forces that influence it. The workshop is also designed to frankly discuss the prudence rules of Shari’ah external supervision and the dynamics of Shari’ah counseling in IBFI’s
Outlines:
• Exposure of Shari’ah advisers to financial practices
• Demarcation of the functions of Shari’ah advisers
• Relation of Shari’ah advices to the Bank’s customers
• Contracts versus practices in Shari’ah inspection
• Minute partial rulings and Maqasid
• Should the Shari’ah supervision cover revealed intents
• Shari’ah advisers’ reports
• Presenting actual case studies that deepen the participants’ understanding of the nature and implication of the provision of Shari’ah advices in BFI’s
