The Potential of Islamic Microfinance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Authors

  • Adamu Abubakar Muhammad Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State Nigeria Author
  • Adam Muhammad Ardo Modibbo Yusufa Foundation, New GRA Gombe State, Nigeria Author
  • Ibrahim Dahiru Idriss Dahiru Idriss Federal College of Education (Technical) Potiskum, Yobe State Nigeria Author
  • Shafa’at Ahmad Aliyu Department of Islamic Studies, Federal College of Education Zaria, Kaduna State Nigeria Author

Keywords:

Islamic microfinance, Sustainable Development Goals, Zakat, Waqf

Abstract

Islamic microfinance provides a distinctive strategy for tackling poverty, injustice, and sustainable development because it is based on Shariah. The potential of Islamic microfinance to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is examined in this research study, with an emphasis on financial inclusion, economic growth, and poverty alleviation. Using a qualitative methodology, this study examines reports from Islamic financial organizations, case studies, and current literature through content analysis. Information is gathered from academic journals, reports from global institutions (such as the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank), and case studies from nations with a majority of Muslims where Islamic microfinance has been practiced. In order to obtain insight into the difficulties and opportunities related to Islamic microfinance, the study also includes interviews with specialists in the field of Islamic finance. The study examines how Islamic microfinance might support sustainable development in nations with a majority of Muslims and beyond by analyzing Islamic financial tools including Qard al-Hasan, Waqf, and Zakat. In order to fully realize the promise of Islamic microfinance for global development, the study ends with recommendations for decision-makers in government, financial institutions, and international organizations.

References

Adnan, O. S., & Habeebullah, Z. (2022). Challenges hindering Islamic microfinance banks’ sustainable financial inclusion: A case of Al-Hayat Microfinance Bank in Ogun State, Nigeria. EL BARKA: Journal of Islamic Economics and Business, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.21154/elbarka.v5i1.3930

Akbar, T., & Siti-Nabiha, A. K. (2022). Objectives and measures of performance of Islamic microfinance banks in Indonesia: The stakeholders' perspectives. ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance, 14(2), 124–140. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIF-11-2020-0231

Alam, M. S., Uddin, M. K., Ali, M. J., Huda, M. N., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2022). Islamic microfinance as a tool for women empowerment and sustainable economic development goals in Bangladesh. American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 13(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.46281/aijmsr.v13i1.1734

Adeleke, R., & Alabede, O. (2021). Understanding the patterns and correlates of financial inclusion in Nigeria. GeoJournal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-021-10378-6

Azmi, N. I., Nik, N. M., Mohamed, A. B., & Thaker, M. T. (2020). Literature survey on Islamic microfinance. Global Review of Islamic Economics and Business, 8(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.14421/grieb.2020.081-03

Biancone, P. P., & Radwan, M. (2019). Social finance and financing social enterprises: An Islamic finance prospective. European Journal of Islamic Finance. https://doi.org/10.13135/2421-2172/3176

Dirie, K. A., Alam, M. M., & Maamor, S. (2023). Islamic social finance for achieving sustainable development goals: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Ethics and Systems. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-12-2022-0317

Drissi, S., & Guerguer, W. (2023). The effects of interest rates on Islamic and conventional banks: A comparative study of monetary policy transmission channels. European Journal of Islamic Finance, 10, 28–44. https://doi.org/10.13135/2421-2172/7389

Gweshengwe, B., & Hassan, N. H. (2020). Defining the characteristics of poverty and their implications for poverty analysis. Cogent Social Sciences, 6(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2020.1768669

Hassan, M. K., Alshater, M. M., Hasan, R., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2021). Islamic microfinance: A bibliometric review. Global Finance Journal, 49, Article 100651. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfj.2021.100651

Hassan, M. H. A., Yahya, S., & Shari, W. (2023). Factors affecting repayment behaviour in Islamic microfinance programs. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 13(1), 554–560. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARAFMS/v13-i1/16553

Iqbal, Z., & Rao, Z.-u.-R. (2022). Social capital and loan credit terms: Does it matter in microfinance contract? Journal of Asian Business and Economic Studies, 30(3), 187–209. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABES-10-2021-0185

Ishak, N. S. (2020). Demand for takaful and microtakaful in Malaysia [Doctoral dissertation, University of Sussex]. Sussex Research Online. http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/

Ijaiya, M. A., Jimoh, A. T., Attah, J. A., Abdulmumin, B. A., & Nafiu, A. I. (2021). Murabaha-related credit risk and financial performance of Islamic banks in Africa. International Journal of Islamic Banking and Finance Research, 5(1), 60–69. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijibfr.v5i1.1279

Jimoh, A., Bamigbade, D., & Kolawole, K. (2024). Islamic microfinance as a panacea for poverty alleviation. European Journal of Islamic Finance, 11(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.13135/2421-2172/9414

Kassim, S., Kassim, S. N., & Othman, N. (2018). Islamic microfinance in Malaysia: Issues and challenges. In A. N. Mat Noor, Z. Z. M. Zakuan, & S. Muhamad Noor (Eds.), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Future of ASEAN (ICOFA) 2017: Volume 1: Business and Social Sciences (pp. 367–377). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8730-1_37

Khan, R. M. N., Shafique, O., Siddique, N., Razzaq, R., & Hafeez, R. M. Z. (2021). A qualitative study on the socio-economic impact of participation in Akhuwat Islamic microfinance on poverty eradication and women empowerment. Bulletin of Business and Economics, 10(4), 176–185. https://bbejournal.com/BBE/article/view/330

Mohamed, E. F., & Fauziyyah, N. E. (2020). Islamic microfinance for poverty alleviation: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Economics, Management and Accounting, 28(1), 141–163. https://doi.org/10.31436/ijema.v28i1.774

Rafay, A., Farid, S., Yasser, F., & Safdar, S. (2020). Social collateral and repayment performance: Evidence from Islamic micro finance. Iranian Economic Review, 24(1), 41–74. https://doi.org/10.22059/ier.2020.74474

Redzuan, N. H., Kassim, S., Rosman, R., Muhammad Zuki, M. F., & Shaharuddin, S. S. (2023). Potential of Islamic microfinance: Issues, challenges, and way forward. In N. Mansour & L. M. Bujosa Vadell (Eds.), Islamic sustainable finance, law and innovation. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27860-0_14

Rodliyah, D. (2023). The effect of HDI, unemployment, and investment on GRDP and poverty. Efficient: Indonesian Journal of Development Economics, 6(2), 199–209. https://doi.org/10.15294/efficient.v6i2.59000

Rosyidi, L. N., Sukmaningrum, P. S., & Widiastuti, T. (2024). Bibliometric analysis of zakat research for supporting SDGs. Jurnal Ekonomi dan Bisnis Islam (Journal of Islamic Economics and Business), 10(1), 165–189. https://doi.org/10.20473/jebis.v10i1.54251

Saadat, U. R., Shah, M. I., Tauqeer, A. M., Ullah, A., & Fatima, M. (2023). Exploring the impact of microfinance on socio-economic characteristics of borrowers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Open Access Organization and Management Review, 1(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.59644/oagmr.1(1).11

Satar, N., & Kassim, S. (n.d.). Issues and challenges in financing the poor: Lessons learned from Islamic microfinance institutions. European Journal of Islamic Finance, (15). https://doi.org/10.13135/2421-2172/2832

Senghore, A. F. (2023). Assessing the role of Islamic microfinance: A women empowerment case study. European Journal of Islamic Finance, 10(3), 45–70. https://www.ojs.unito.it/index.php/EJIF/index

Sukmana, R. (2020). Critical assessment of Islamic endowment funds (waqf) literature: Lesson for government and future directions. Heliyon, 6(10), Article e05074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020

Widiastuti, T., Auwalin, I., Rani, L. N., & Al-Mustofa, M. U. (2021). A mediating effect of business growth on zakat empowerment program and mustahiq’s welfare. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1), Article 1882039. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1882039

Widiastuti, T., Robani, A., Sukmaningrum, P. S., Mawardi, I., Ningsih, S., Herianingrum, S., & Al-Mustofa, M. U. (2022). Integrating sustainable Islamic social finance: An analytical network process using the Benefit Opportunity Cost Risk (ANP BOCR) framework: The case of Indonesia. PLOS ONE, 17(5), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269039

Zaman, B., Uddin, M. H., & Hossain, A. (2020). Impact of microfinance on poverty alleviation: A study in the southern part of Bangladesh. Asian Business Review, 10(2), 81–86. https://doi.org/10.18034/abr.v10i2.465

Downloads

Published

2026-09-30

How to Cite

The Potential of Islamic Microfinance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (2026). QURANICA EDU: Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Studi Islam, 1(1), 10-20. https://www.ejurnal.nuhibbulquran.net/index.php/quranica-edu/article/view/4