An attempt to facilitate an understanding of the basic principles of Islamic finance and the main points of difference between conventional and Islamic banking among other issues.

Islam does not deny the market forces and market economy. Even the profit motive is acceptable to a reasonable extent. Private ownership is not totally negated. Yet, the basic difference between capitalistic and Islamic economy is that in secular capitalism, the profit motive or private ownership are given unbridled power to make economic decisions.

Their liberty is not controlled by any divine injunctions. If there are some restrictions, they are imposed by human beings and are always subject to change through democratic legislation, which accepts no authority of any super-human power.

This attitude has allowed a number of practices, which cause imbalances in the society. Muhammad Taqi Usmani writes about these imbalances and tries to provide a cure using Islamic concepts of finance.