'Fatawy' and Publications of Shari'a‎

Shari'a Internal Audit Department is pleased in collaboration with the bank shari'a Supervisory Board that offers you collection of those scientific productions, provided by the service to those interested in the Islamic Finance industry, which consists of the following books:

History of Shari'a audit in Bahrain Islamic bank:

The Shari’a Supervision function at Bahrain Islamic Bank (BisB) has evolved significantly since the Bank’s establishment in 1979, passing through several developmental stages that can be categorized into five key phases:

First Phase: The Founding Stage (1979–1983)

During this phase, the Shari’a oversight work was limited to the presence of the Shari’a Supervisory Committee, whose role focused on responding to inquiries received from management and employees, approving contracts, reviewing documents, and discussing key issues related to Islamic banking.
The committee consisted of five scholars, chaired by Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Latif Al Saad.The Chairman would visit the Bank once a week to review operations and conduct Shari’a auditing.
Administrative duties such as recording and documenting meeting minutes were handled by the Bank’s management, particularly by Mr. Ramadan Ali Ramadan, who later served as Secretary to the Board of Directors until 2013.

Second Phase: The Internal Auditor Stage (1983–2002)

In 1983, the Bank began formalizing an internal Shari’a supervision function with the appointment of its first Shari’a Auditor, Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif Ahmed Al Shaikh. Although his tenure lasted only eight months due to study commitments abroad, he was succeeded the same year by Sheikh Isa Ahmed Al Marzouqi.
The work during this period focused on auditing selected products and transactions, coordinating SSB meetings, and maintaining records.
In 2000, Sheikh Abdul Muneem Al Mahmood was appointed as Director of the Shari’a Audit Department for a short period, during which the first internal charter regulating the SSB’s work was issued.

Third Phase: The Establishment Stage (2002–2005)

This stage began with the appointment of Sheikh Abdul Nasser Omar Al Mahmood as Director of the Shari’a Audit Department.
Under his leadership, the department was restructured to enhance efficiency, identify needs, and develop strategic plans to professionalize Shari’a auditing and documentation.
The SSB introduced an Executive Committee, consisting of two members (including the Chairman), to address urgent matters between regular meetings.

Fourth Phase: The Development and Documentation Stage (2005–2017)

This phase marked a turning point in the professionalization of Shari’a governance.
The department expanded its staff to four members — including Mr. Hamad Farooq Al Shaikh as Shari’a Auditor and Ms. Eman Mohammed Al Bangdeer as Department Secretary.
The department began conducting comprehensive audits of all products and operations, preparing reports, organizing Shari’a contracts, and establishing a complete internal documentation system under the title “Shari’a Internal Audit Department.”
In 2007, the position of Executive Member of the SSB was introduced to review urgent topics when the Executive Committee could not convene.
The same year, Dr. Issam Khalaf Al Enazi from Kuwait joined the Board as its fifth member
A new Internal Charter for the SSB was issued in 2012, followed by a detailed Shari’a Department Policy Manual in 2014.

Fifth Phase: The Development and Documentation Stage (2005–2017)

This phase began following the Central Bank of Bahrain’s introduction of the Shari’a Governance Module (SG Module), which separated pre-audit Shari’a review functions from post-audit Shari’a assurance.

Accordingly, BisB established two specialized departments:

Shari’a Coordination and Implementation Department, headed by Mr. Hamad Farooq Al Shaikh, later joined by Mr. Yusuf Adel Al Noaimi as Deputy in 2022.
Shari’a Internal Audit Department, led by Ms. Eman Mohammed Al Bangdeer since 2018, supported by Mr. Abdulrahman Jaber and later Mr. Mohammed Al Attawi (appointed in 2020)..

Both departments have developed their own policy manuals and operational guidelines to ensure full compliance with Shari’a governance and Central Bank regulations. An External Shari’a Auditor was also appointed starting in 2020 to strengthen oversight and enhance transparency.