Analyzing the scholarly landscape of Shariah Compliance: A Bibliometric study

Abstract

This study provides insights into Shariah compliance research and its publication trends. A bibliometric analysis of 1,505 scholarly works recorded in the Scopus database as of August 2024. The analysis covers publications from 2007 to 2023 and utilizes VOSviewer to map research development. The findings reveal that Shariah compliance research spans various subject fields, including economics, finance, business, computer science, and engineering, with notable activity in Islamic finance and banking. Key sources of citations include the Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research and the International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management. Malaysia leads in publishing in this area, followed by Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The study highlights the broad application of Shariah compliance beyond law, extending into finance, banking, halal food, clothing, and cosmetics. Research limitations/implications: The study highlights the importance of Shariah compliance across different sectors and suggests that further research should expand beyond economics, finance and other areas. However, the study acknowledges limitations due to its reliance on Scopus and the use of keywords, which may exclude relevant works in other databases. The research calls for broader investigations into Shariah compliance in areas beyond economics and finance, and for expanding bibliometric analyses to other databases like WOS and Google Scholar.The study is one of the primary investigations in presenting a summary of the current trend of Shariah compliance in today's research. The findings can guide policymakers, academic institutions, and researchers in refining Shariah compliance frameworks and identifying underexplored areas in this field.