Powered by Lexis+®
Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
CASE STUDY

“It really is saving us a huge number of hours over the days, weeks and months. Having more relevant support at hand, not having to draft or review documents them from scratch - it all adds up.”

Southampton FC

Access all documents on Sukuk al ijarah

Sukuk al ijarah meaning

What does Sukuk al ijarah mean?
Sukuk al ijarah are Sharia-compliant investment certificates built on a lease (ijarah). In practice, investors subscribe for trust certificates issued by an SPV, acquire a beneficial interest in tangible assets or their usufruct, and receive periodic distributions funded by lease rentals paid by the obligor/lessee. Principal is usually repaid via an agreed purchase or sale at maturity. Documentation is commonly governed by English law and certificates are often listed in London or Dublin. The term is a market description rather than a defined legal term in UK or Irish legislation or case law. In the UK, ijarah-based sukuk may qualify as “alternative finance investment bonds” for tax and regulatory neutrality, subject to statutory conditions. Ireland generally applies existing securities and tax rules without a specific sukuk definition. Key legal features include: transfer of assets or usufruct to an issuer trustee; a leaseback to the obligor; undertakings facilitating redemption; and Sharia supervisory approval. Depending on the structure, recourse is frequently “asset-based” (credit risk focused on the obligor) rather than fully asset-backed. Usage and legal treatment are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Speed up all aspects of your legal work with tools that help you to work faster and smarter. Win cases, close deals and grow your business–all whilst saving time and reducing risk.

View the related Practice Notes about Sukuk al ijarah

PRACTICE NOTES
UK Banking, Finance, Capital Markets, Derivatives and Insolvency Law Glossary including Islamic finance

Banking & Finance glossary A Auditing and Accounting Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) The foremost Islamic, international, autonomous, independent, not-for-profit corporate body that develops and issues accounting, auditing, governance, ethics and Shari’ah benchmarks and standards for Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the wider Islamic finance sector. Founded in Bahrain in 1991, it is backed by a number of institutional members across more than 45 countries, including central banks and regulatory authorities, financial institutions, accounting and auditing practices, and legal firms. Its pronouncements are currently applied by leading Islamic financial institutions across the world and have advanced a progressive and gradual harmonisation of global Islamic finance practice. It also delivers professional qualification programmes—notably Certified Islamic Professional Accountant (CIPA), Certified Shari’ah Adviser and Auditor (CSAA), and the corporate compliance programme—in efforts to strengthen the industry’s human capital and governance frameworks. For further details, see Practice Note: Key participants in the Islamic finance industry—Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). Acceleration Acceleration is the formal action...

Read More Right Arrow
PRACTICE NOTES
Islamic aircraft finance: principles, Murabaha, Ijarah/Ijarah‑wa Iqtina, Mudaraba and Sukuk al‑Ijarah; Ijarah leasing features including ownership, risk, maintenance, insurance and default

The Islamic finance sector has expanded swiftly in recent years, as financial institutions and their customers look to explore alternative ways of financing and raising funds. It is an asset‑based system, and Islamic finance has seen rising deployment for both full and partial funding of aircraft—assets regarded as permissible investments under Islamic law (Shariah). Principles of Islamic finance The principles of Islamic finance are drawn from Shariah as prescribed in the Quran, the sacred scripture of Islam believed to record the Word of God revealed to the Prophet Mohammed, together with the Sunnah, the traditions and practices of the Prophet Mohammed. These sources set out the principles applied to finance. Islamic finance is established to ensure that wealth remains pure and is utilised justly, in accordance with these overarching principles, safeguarding fairness in application and conduct: No unjust enrichment—Riba The charging of interest, or Riba, is strictly prohibited In Islamic finance, money should not be treated as a...

Read More Right Arrow