Islamic Window
A Shariah-compliant division inside a conventional bank, with separate products but a shared balance sheet.
Definition
A unit within a conventional bank that offers Shariah-compliant products (interest-free deposits, Murabaha or Ijarah financing) under the oversight of a Shariah board, while the bank as a whole continues conventional business. Windows must segregate the funds and accounting of the Islamic products so that compliant deposits are not used for interest-based lending.
Because the United States has no Islamic banking charter, every Islamic banking program at a U.S. bank is a window of this kind, and scholars accept it on condition of genuine segregation and oversight.
Related Terms
Shariah Boardهيئة شرعية
A committee of qualified Islamic scholars that certifies the Shariah compliance of financial products.
Wadiahوديعة
Safekeeping or custody - the basis for some Islamic checking and savings accounts.
Mudarabahمضاربة
A profit-sharing partnership where one party provides capital and the other provides expertise.
Shariah-Compliantمتوافق مع الشريعة
A product, contract, or company that a qualified scholar or board has determined conforms to Islamic law.
Profit-Sharing Investment Accountحساب استثمار بالمشاركة في الأرباح
A deposit account that earns a share of the bank's profits instead of interest, with the depositor bearing investment risk.
Hibahهبة
A voluntary gift with no expectation of return - used in Islamic banking as discretionary bonuses on deposits.
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Islamic Window - A Shariah-compliant division inside a conventional bank, with separate products but a shared balance sheet. A unit within a conventional bank that offers Shariah-compliant products (interest-free deposits, Murabaha or Ijarah financing) under the oversight of a Shariah board, while the bank as a whole continues conventional business. Windows must segregate the funds and accounting of the Islamic products so that compliant deposits are not used for interest-based lending.
- A Shariah-compliant division inside a conventional bank, with separate products but a shared balance sheet.
- Category: Banking
- Related: Shariah Board, Wadiah, Mudarabah, Shariah-Compliant, Profit-Sharing Investment Account, Hibah
- Compare related Shariah-compliant products on HalalWallet
Source: HalalWallet (halalwallet.ca)
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This page is reviewed against HalalWallet editorial standards and source documentation.
Reviewed by: HalalWallet Editorial Team
Last reviewed: 2026-10-01
Editorial Team, HalalWallet
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Reviewed quarterly and updated for major content changes.