INDONESIA - HALAL - Halal Logistics Business Potential in Indonesia

A Fast Growing Halal Economy

One reason for the rise of the halal economy is that the global customer group of nearly two billion Muslims are younger and, in some places at least, richer than ever. Halal is used to describe anything permissible under Islamic law, in contrast to "haram" – which is forbidden. (source)

COUNTRY REVIEW - FRANCE - most prominent mover 2010

Most of you will know that I do follow up close what is happening in the greater European space in the field of Islamic finance.

I just made a short review about the most prominent mover over the year 2010.

France managed to adapt following tax regulations for the introduction of Islamic (finance) contracts : Murabahah, Ijara, Istisna and there were specific changes to allow Sukuk.

LIFESTYLE - MUI and Aisyiyah Slam Ban on Veils in France - mixed reactions Nadhlatul Ulama

Jakarta. Indonesian Islamic leaders on Wednesday denounced France’s ban on full-face veils, calling it a violation of human rights.

“Middle-Eastern Muslim women wear full-face veils as part of their culture and religious belief. If the French Parliament wants to champion human rights, it should allow women to wear the veils in public,” Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) chairman Amidhan told Agence France-Presse.

“If it’s for security reasons, the question is: to what extent is there a threat posed by women wearing burqas?” Amidhan said.

BANKING - Bahrain's Al-Baraka to enter Saudi through acquisition

REUTERS - DUBAI: Bahrain's Islamic lender Al-Baraka said on Tuesday it planned to enter the Saudi Arabian market through an acquisition of an Islamic investment company, valued at around SR300 million ($80 million).

"The group is in the process of obtaining approval from Saudi authorities to enter the Kingdom this year through acquiring one of the companies operating in the Saudi market," the lender said in a statement on the bourse website.