Does the interest tax shield align with maqasid al Shariah in finance?

Abstract

The debt-equity distinction is critical in modern corporate finance. We assess the compliance of the interest tax shield with the maqasid al Shariah in finance. For our analysis, we use the ends of maqasid al Shariah as proposed by Akram Laldin & Furqani, 2013. We develop a survey questionnaire to survey an international sample of well-informed individuals in the field of Islamic economics and finance. We use mean comparison, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and structured equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate 176 responses. Our results reveal that experts consider the interest tax shield as anathema to the ends of maqasid al Shariah in Islamic finance. We find that the interest tax shield discourages equity financing and hinders the objective of overall human well-being. We recommend reframing the tax shield in favor of equity financing to promote profit and loss sharing. Keywords: Maqasid al Shariah, Islamic finance, Interest tax shield, JEL classification: K22, J88, Z12, G32, G01