Brunei Institute of Leadership & Islamic Finance (BILIF) hosted the Syariah Advisory Forum (SAF) 2026 on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, at the Radisson Hotel Brunei Darussalam. The forum was attended by local and regional participants comprised members from government agencies and industry practitioners.
The forum themed “Syariah Governance: Embracing Digital Financial Solutions and Financial Innovation,” brought together prominent Syariah scholars, practitioners and industry experts to share insights and engage in discussions on advancing Syariah governance in Islamic finance; digital finance & financial innovation; addressing emerging Syariah compliance challenges and strengthening Maqasid-aligned practices.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks by Afero Eswandy Mohamad, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BILIF. In his address, he emphasised the importance of strong and responsive Syariah governance in ensuring that the Islamic finance industry continues to evolve in line with technological advancements and financial innovation.
The event continued with a special presentation titled “Ta’widh & Gharamah in Islamic Finance: Revisiting the Foundations and Contemporary Industry Expectations” by Prof Dr Aishath Muneeza, Associate Dean for Students and Internationalization, INCEIF University, Malaysia. This was followed by a panel discussion entitled “Ta’widh & Gharamah: Contemporary Challenges in Syariah Advisory and Industry Practice”, featuring Dr Haji Mohd Aidil Yusrie bin Haji Shari, Deputy Chairperson, BIBD Shariah Advisory Body; Prof Dr Aishath Muneeza; Prof Dr Sharifah Faigah binti Syed Alwi, Professor, Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; and Shakir Jakhura, Syariah Department, Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), Bahrain and moderated by Dayang Muniirah binti Awang Mahali, Executive Officer Syariah Department I Secretariat & Governance, Perbadanan Tabung Amanah Islam Brunei (TAIB).
The forum also featured a dialogue session under the Fiqh Mu’amalat Professional Programme (FMPP) titled “Building Future Syariah Talent: From Learning and Mentoring to Future Readiness.” The session brought together FMPP alumni as panellists, namely Muhammad Khairul Anuar bin Haji Ahmad, Senior Manager, Syariah Finance, Brunei Darussalam Central Bank; Siti Aminah binti Haji Abdul Rahman, Manager, Wealth Management, Retail Banking Division, Baiduri Bank; and Dk Hajah Siti Khadijah binti Pg Haji Ahmad, Head of Pre-Syariah Review, Syariah Division, BIBD. The dialogue explored the importance of learning, mentoring, and professional development in nurturing future-ready Syariah talent. The session was moderated by Mohammad Ashri bin Sharbini, Acting Manager, BILIF.
The forum concluded with a panel discussion titled “Evolving Financial Solutions: Syariah Perspectives and Industry” moderated by Bibi Amadah binti Hj Awang Rusli, Manager, Syariah Finance, BDCB, who was joined by Prof. Datin Dr. Rusni Hassan, Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance, IIUM; Prof. Dr Raditya Sukmana, Head of Doctorate Degree in Islamic Economics, Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia; and Dr Ahmad Lutfi bin Haji Abdul Razak, Member of Syariah Advisory Body of Standard Chartered Securities (B) Sdn Bhd
As part of the forum, BILIF also celebrated the graduation of participants from two of its professional learning programmes. The Fiqh Mu’amalat Professional Programme (FMPP), BILIF’s signature programme for developing professional Syariah Advisors, equips participants with knowledge and competencies in key areas of Islamic banking and finance, including Syariah advisory, audit and review. Meanwhile, the Leadership in Islamic Finance and Economics (LIFE) programme aim to produce Islamic Finance experts by providing a structured learning pathway covering key sectors of Islamic finance, including Islamic banking, Takaful and the Islamic capital market. The ceremony saw six graduates from FMPP Cohort 4 and one graduate from the LIFE Common Core, with certificates presented by the Guest of Honour Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Japar bin Haji Mat Dain @ Maidin, Deputy State Mufti of Brunei Darussalam and Deputy Chairman of Syariah Financial Supervisory Board (SFSB)