Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book analyses the problem of how to reconcile Islam and Finance, and integrate Muslims into a universalistic and self-grounded Financial Market. It highlights the relationships between Islamic Ethics, Law and Economics. The book examines the pre-conditions for Islamic finance to generate sustained economic growth. It examines the EU Cooperation Policy with the Northern African Mediterranean and the Middle East Countries. The book analyses the recent developments of the European neighbourhood policy, starting from the pivotal Barcelona declaration, to illustrate the major changes, developments and results obtained since then. It describes the framework and functioning of the Islamic Bank, analysing its differences from conventional banks.