Editorial: Writing Quality Journal Articles
Authors: Sairally Beebee Salma 
Published: December 2024

The year 2024 was marked by the rebranding of ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance (IJIF) to International Journal of Islamic Finance and Sustainable Development (IJIFSD) following the collaboration between INCEIF University and the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) for the publication of the journal. The rebranded title reflects a broader journal scope that includes not only the different segments of the Islamic finance industry but also covers the discourse on sustainability and sustainable development. Volume 16 Number 4 December 2024 presents the second issue published under the new title. This issue covers the following seven articles that address varied topics which fall within the scope of IJIFSD:   

‘Navigating Credit Risk in Islamic Banks: A Multidimensional Analysis of Non-Performing Loans’ by Jaizah Othman and Dina Zaki Gabbori. This article addresses the issue of credit risk management in Islamic banks located across 30 countries, particularly examining traditional bank-specific and macroeconomic factors, along with under-researched areas such as the institutional environment, product development and AAOIFI membership, as determinants of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Islamic banks.
‘The Impact of Customer Perception and Religiosity on Satisfaction with Car Ijārah Financing in Pakistan: The Mediating Effect of Clarity and Accuracy’ by Farooq Ahmad Bajwa, Ishtiaq Ahmad Bajwa, Shabir Ahmad, Faiq Mahmood and Muhammad Usman Javed. This study extends the existing literature by incorporating religiosity into the customer satisfaction model for car ijārah It focuses on existing customers from the Islamic banking sector in Pakistan that availed of car ijārah financing compared to previous studies which considered random samples of customers who may or may not have used the product.
‘Analysing the Effects of Third-Party Funds and Financial Ratios on Muḍārabah Financing’ by Anna Zakiyah Hastriana. This research analyses Indonesian Islamic banks’ financial statements from 2014 to 2023 to investigate the relationship between some specific financial indicators such as third-party funds (TPF), capital adequacy ratio (CAR), non-performing financing (NPF), and net profit margin (NPM) and muḍārabah (profit sharing) financing. It adds value to the literature by considering factors which have not been extensively studied before.
‘Protecting the Well-Being of Households: Delineating a Social Takāful Fund Initiative for Positive Social Impact’ by Norazlina Abd Wahab, Mohamad Yazid Isa, Rosylin Mohd Yusof, and Wan Ahmad Najib Wan Ahmad Lotfi. This study examines an innovative social takāful fund (STF) initiative developed by the Islamic Business School–Universiti Utara Malaysia (IBS–UUM) in collaboration with FWD Takaful Berhad in Malaysia. This fund currently addresses the economic uncertainties and vulnerabilities of the marginalised communities in the State of Kedah before its programmes can be extended to other states. It positions takāful as a comprehensive community empowerment strategy to enhance social well-being and sustainable development.
‘A New Crowdfunding Model for Financial Inclusion Based on Donations and Interest-Free Debt: A Fuzzy Agent-Based Simulation Approach’ by Youssef Lamrani Alaoui, Adil El Fakir, and Mohamed Tkiouat. This study adds to the Islamic crowdfunding literature by introducing a new hybrid model that integrates donations with interest-free loans. It explores the impact of this design on crowdfunding platform success and the well-being of micro-entrepreneurs, using an agent-based perspective.
‘Exploring the Determinants of Financial Well-Being: An Empirical Study in Muslim-Majority Countries’ by Aneu Cakhyaneu, Mumuh Muhammad, Rofiq Anwar and Emre Selçuk Sari. This article contributes to the literature by examining the determinants that influence financial well-being in Muslim-majority countries, drawing from data from the World Values Survey. The measures of financial well-being involved factors such as feeling of happiness, financial satisfaction, religiosity, income, and education levels.
‘Islamic Framework for Sustainable Development’ by Kausar Yasmeen, Kashifa Yasmeen and Salem Al Abri. This article uses the systematic literature review approach to propose a comprehensive framework that integrates Islamic principles with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It seeks to fill the literature gaps by encapsulating the principles of Islamic economics in their entirety, drawing on environmental, social, and economic perspectives, including sustainable transport, green banking, urban planning, and conservation when examining the issue of sustainable development.

 
To conclude, we wish all our readers a pleasant year-end and we look forward to more discussions on Islamic economics, banking, finance and sustainable development in our next issues, in sha Allah. 
 
Allah (SWT) is the Bestower of success, and He knows best.