I spent two decades in construction and oil and gas services, and I can’t help looking at life through an engineer’s logical and scientific lens. Science never lies, is not diplomatic, and doesn’t care about feelings — it simply states facts. This same mindset shapes how I view Islamic Finance Canada, because clear principles, structure, and truth guide the entire system.

As an engineer, Islamic finance reminds me of a cofferdam an enclosure built in a body of water so we can pump the inside dry. By pumping the water out, we create a safe, dry space to work and carry out construction. We often use cofferdams to build or repair permanent dams, and — to me — the analogy fits perfectly.

How Islamic Finance Grows: The Cofferdam Metaphor Explained

What do I mean by all this? Well, look at the picture. The sea represents the world of interest-based finance that we live in, the cofferdam represents the relatively tiny yet growing Islamic finance industry, and the action of pumping water out of the cofferdam represents the efforts of well-wishing Islamic financial professional to purify, strengthen and grow Islamic finance by progressively removing the remaining conventional finance elements from within the Islamic finance industry.

Just like a cofferdam, creating a space for Islamic finance to grow requires the ability to simultaneously keep principles of Shariah-compliance while working within state regulations of the country one is operating in and following the “laws of the land” as far as possible without breaking Islamic principles. It’s not the end state but a step on a journey towards a world without riba.

The Holy Prophet, Muhammad (saww) said, “Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded with; gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, and the nights.” – Sahih Bukhari

Three Years of Building Halal Finance in Canada: A Personal Journey of Faith and Persistence

I have spent the past three years on the journey to launch scalable halal finance in Canada. As an engineer, I feel proud of the cofferdam foundations we built. As an entrepreneur, I feel energized as the results finally appear in front of me. And as a Muslim, I feel humbled and grateful to Allah (swt). I witnessed hundreds of miracles through help from unlikely sources, the clearing of obstacles that once seemed impossible, and the strength Allah gave me to keep going even when almost every person I approached initially said “no.”

Just as a gym workout strengthens our muscles, reading strengthens our minds, actions based on strong morals, the right intentions, and faith in Allah empowers our nafs (souls). To me, bringing Islamic Finance to Canada has been exactly what I needed to become a better entrepreneur, a more self-aware person, and a more faithful Muslim.

I pray that I am able to inspire my fellow Canadian Muslims and non-Muslims to join me in this amazing journey to one day be “near to perfection” inshAllah.

Ameen

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