In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
One year has lapsed and yet the world is still struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. The mass-media euphoria inspired by announcements in early December 2020 of various COVID-19 vaccines (after minimal clinical trials) has faded with the more recent news of 29 Norwegians dying after having received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine! Many countries that ordered the vaccine will reconsider their decision and look for other, safer alternatives. This means more time is needed to effectively combat this contagious disease. It is therefore unsurprising that some countries like Malaysia and the United Kingdom have imposed another round of lockdowns that will negatively impact economic growth in 2021.
Nonetheless, life must go on despite the new normal! ‘The COVID-19 way of doing business’ has accelerated the adoption of the ‘digital-first’ strategy in almost every aspect. This gives an opportunity for the fintech industry to flourish. Hence, this Special Issue of I-FIKR Digest brings you a highlight on Islamic fintech and digitalisation in the Islamic banking industry
Enjoy reading!
