KOTA BAHARU: The National Fatwa Council yesterday ruled that foreign exchange trading (forex trading) is forbidden (haram) for Muslims.
Council chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Shukor Husin said forex trading is against Islamic law and creates confusion among Muslims.
“A study by the committee found that such trading involves currency speculation, which contradicts Islamic law.
“For that reason, the National Fatwa Council has decided that it is haram for Muslims to be engaged in such trading,” he told reporters after chairing the Council’s 98th conference here yesterday.
Abdul Shukor said Muslims should not engage in forex trading as there are many doubts about it and it involves individuals using the internet, with uncertain outcomes.
“Other forms of trading in foreign currencies, such as by money changers or between banks, are permissible, as they do not involve currency speculation or uncertain outcomes,” he
said.
He said the meeting also ruled that it is permissible for Muslims to invest or save in the Premium Saving Certificate scheme managed by Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).
He said the decision was reached after the committee was satisfied with the briefing by the Bank Negara syariah panel on the scheme’s implementation.
“At first we had doubts about the scheme’s implementation, but we were satisfied after the trading system was changed into the Islamic concept of Mudharabah,” he said.
The committee also agreed to formulate guidelines on Muslim couples performing their wedding ceremony in a mosque to allay doubts among some Muslims that mosque weddings purportedly follow Christian practice, he said.
The guidelines will include provisions that people involved in a wedding in a mosque should respect its position as a place of worship, including refraining from making noise, he added. — Bernama