THE APPLICATION OF BLOCKCHAIN FOR SMART CONTRACTS IN MURABAHAH FINANCING: A SHARIA COMPLIANCE AND LEGAL ENFORCEABILITY STUDY
Abstract
The increasing adoption of blockchain technology in Islamic finance has prompted growing interest in its application for smart contracts within murabahah financing structures. The digital transformation of financial transactions raises important questions regarding Sharia compliance, contractual validity, and legal enforceability in decentralized systems. This study aims to examine how blockchain-based smart contracts can enhance transparency, efficiency, and trust in murabahah financing while maintaining strict adherence to Islamic legal principles. A qualitative-doctrinal research method was employed, integrating analysis of classical fiqh al-mu’?mal?t with contemporary regulatory frameworks governing digital transactions and smart contract implementation. The study utilized comparative analysis of existing blockchain platforms and Islamic financial models to identify areas of alignment and potential conflict. The findings indicate that blockchain technology supports murabahah transactions by automating contract execution, eliminating asymmetrical information, and ensuring compliance with Sharia requirements for ownership transfer and cost disclosure. However, challenges remain in achieving legal recognition of decentralized contracts within conventional judicial systems. The study concludes that blockchain-based smart contracts can be considered Sharia-compliant when developed under proper legal supervision and governance mechanisms, offering a promising pathway for digital transformation in Islamic finance.
Full text article
References
Amlia, N., Tanaka, K., & Sato, H. (2025). Shariah-Compliant Investment Funds?: A Study on Investor Preferences and Portfolio Management in Indonesia. 3(2), 139–151.
Aquilina, M., Frost, J., & Schrimpf, A. (2024). Decentralized Finance (DeFi): A Functional Approach. Journal of Financial Regulation, 10(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1093/jfr/fjad013
Arni, S., Gupta, M., & Wei, S. (2025). Islamic Inheritance Laws and Their Economic Implications in Indonesia: A Legal and Financial Perspective. Sharia Oikonomia Law Journal, 3(2), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.70177/solj.v3i2.2083
Asyiqin, I. Z., Mareto, I., & Beltrán Genovés, M. (2024). The Role of Regulation in the Development of Sharia Fintech: A Review of Contemporary Islamic Economic Law. Sharia Oikonomia Law Journal, 2(4), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.70177/solj.v2i4.1241
Auer, R., Haslhofer, B., Kitzler, S., Saggese, P., & Victor, F. (2024). The technology of decentralized finance (DeFi). Digital Finance, 6(1), 55–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42521-023-00088-8
Bae, S. H., Saberi, S., Kouhizadeh, M., & Sarkis, J. (2025). Examining blockchain’s role in supply chain finance structure and governance. International Review of Financial Analysis, 99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2025.103955
Beinke, M., Beinke, J. H., Anton, E., & Teuteberg, F. (2024). Breaking the chains of traditional finance: A taxonomy of decentralized finance business models. Electronic Markets, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-024-00704-4
Bekemeier, F. (2023). A primer on the insurability of decentralized finance (DeFi). Digital Finance, 5(3–4), 643–687. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42521-023-00093-x
Benson, V., Adamyk, B., Chinnaswamy, A., & Adamyk, O. (2024). Harmonising cryptocurrency regulation in Europe: opportunities for preventing illicit transactions. European Journal of Law and Economics, 57(1–2), 37–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10657-024-09797-w
Bhambhwani, S. M. (2025). Governing Decentralised Finance. International Journal of Finance and Economics. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.3157
Boustani, N. M., & Elisabetta, M. (2022). Smart Insurance Contracts Shielding Pandemic Business Disruption in Developing Countries and Blockchain Solution. FinTech, 1(4), 294–309. https://doi.org/10.3390/fintech1040022
Chiara, A., Marina, F., & Gioia, V. (2023). Analysis of Human Resource Recruitment in an Islamic Perspective. 1(March), 61–69.
Chiara, C., Diego, V., & Mara, S. (2023). Human Resource Management ( Human Resource Planning ). 1(March), 49–60.
Dombrowski, T. (2025). From Plantations to Blockchains: A Review and Synthesis of the MBS and DeFi Literatures. Journal of Real Estate Literature. https://doi.org/10.1080/09277544.2025.2530870
Fauzi, M., Guilin, X., & Jiao, D. (2023). Literature Review?: Unemployment Crisis , Maintaining the Dignity and Welfare of the People. 1(June), 115–125.
Gonçalves, Â. F. O., Norali, S. F., & Bechter, C. (2025). AI-Powered Buy-Now-Pay-Later Smart Contracts in Healthcare. FinTech, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/fintech4020024
Gramlich, V., Guggenberger, T., Principato, M., Schellinger, B., & Urbach, N. (2023). A multivocal literature review of decentralized finance: Current knowledge and future research avenues. Electronic Markets, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-023-00637-4
Harvey, C. R., & Rabetti, D. (2024). International business and decentralized finance. Journal of International Business Studies, 55(7), 840–863. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-024-00705-7
John, K., Kogan, L., & Saleh, F. (2023). Smart Contracts and Decentralized Finance. Annual Review of Financial Economics, 15, 523–542. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-financial-110921-022806
Kashyap, R. (2024). The Democratization of Wealth Management: Hedged Mutual Fund Blockchain Protocol. Research in International Business and Finance, 71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102487
Kayani, U., & Hasan, F. (2024). Unveiling Cryptocurrency Impact on Financial Markets and Traditional Banking Systems: Lessons for Sustainable Blockchain and Interdisciplinary Collaborations. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm17020058
Khairi, K. F., Laili, N. H., Sabri, H., Ahmad, A., Pham, V. H., & Tran, M. D. (2023). THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE ZAKAT COLLECTION BLOCKCHAIN SYSTEM. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 12(1 special issue), 294–306. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv12i1siart9
Khan, N., Kchouri, B., Yatoo, N. A., Kräussl, Z., Patel, A., & State, R. (2022). Tokenization of sukuk: Ethereum case study. Global Finance Journal, 51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfj.2020.100539
Makridis, C. A., Fröwis, M., Sridhar, K., & Böhme, R. (2023). The rise of decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges: Evaluating the role of airdrops and governance tokens. Journal of Corporate Finance, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2023.102358
Manakhova, I. V, & Kolmykov, K. A. (2024). Management in the field of decentralized finance based on blockchain technologies. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo Universiteta. Ekonomika, 40(3), 416–432. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu05.2024.304
Mazumder, P. T. (2025). Blockchain in trade finance: reducing fraud and improving efficiency through digital ledger technology. Digital Finance. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42521-025-00157-0
Mustafa, J. A. (2024). Integrating financial literacy, regulatory technology, and decentralized finance: A new paradigm in Fintech evolution. Investment Management and Financial Innovations, 21(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.21511/imfi.21(2).2024.17
Norrahman, R. A., & Mariani, M. (2023). Murabaha Contract Dispute Resolution Procedure. Sharia Oikonomia Law Journal, 1(4), 241–254. https://doi.org/10.55849/solj.v1i4.584
Patil, R. V, Gaidhani, V. A., Kashid, P. V, Hazarika, I., Mahadik, R. V, Poddar, G. M., & Patil, S. R. (2025). Decentralized Autonomous Organizations As Emerging Economic Entities in Accounting and Governance Frameworks. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(4), 166–177. https://doi.org/10.14419/1sy2j677
Rahma, S. A., Nur, S. M., & Anggraini, D. D. (2023). The Role of Corporate Governance and Financial Performance on the Value of ISSI Indexed Food and Beverage Companies in Indonesia. 1(June), 88–103.
Rettig, R., Mosier, M., & Gilman, K. (2025). Genuine DeFi as Critical Infrastructure: A Conceptual Framework for Combating Illicit Finance Activity in Decentralized Finance. Journal of Financial Regulation, 11(2), 215–249. https://doi.org/10.1093/jfr/fjaf005
Rijanto, A. (2024). Blockchain technology roles to overcome accounting, accountability and assurance barriers in supply chain finance. Asian Review of Accounting, 32(5), 728–758. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARA-03-2023-0090
Saengchote, K. (2023). Decentralized lending and its users: Insights from compound. Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, 87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intfin.2023.101807
Saheb, S. S., Chinnapareddy, V. K. R., Devalla, D., Charugulla, S., Chakka, N. B., & Raja Sekhar, K. (2025). Factors leading to the adoption of blockchain technology in financial reporting. Frontiers in Blockchain, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbloc.2025.1491609
Saito, Y., & Rose, J. A. (2022). Reputation-based Decentralized Autonomous Organization for the non-profit sector: Leveraging blockchain to enhance good governance. Frontiers in Blockchain, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbloc.2022.1083647
Schuler, K., Cloots, A. S., & Schär, F. (2024). On DeFi and On-Chain CeFi: How (Not) to Regulate Decentralized Finance. Journal of Financial Regulation, 10(2), 213–242. https://doi.org/10.1093/jfr/fjad014
Shilov, K. D., & Zubarev, A. V. (2024). beyond bitcoin: A Taxonomy of Cryptocurrencies in a Historical Perspective. Finance: Theory and Practice, 28(6), 122–133. https://doi.org/10.26794/2587-5671-2024-28-6-122-133
Soin, A., Putni?š, T., & Staples, M. (2025). Digital assets: vulnerabilities and their classification. Digital Finance, 7(3), 373–428. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42521-025-00143-6
Tepe, G., Geyikçi, U. B., & Sancak, F. M. (2022). FinTech Companies: A Bibliometric Analysis. International Journal of Financial Studies, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijfs10010002
Zhang, J., Gao, Y., & Alam, S. (2025). A Visual Analysis of Hotspots and Frontiers in Blockchain Based on Scientific Knowledge Map. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-025-02644-6
Zhang, P., Kelley, A., Schmidt, D. C., & White, J. (2023). Design pattern recommendations for building decentralized healthcare applications. Frontiers in Blockchain, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbloc.2023.1006058
Zhou, P., & Zhang, Y. (2025). Major Conundrums and Possible Solutions in DeFi Insurance. International Journal of Finance and Economics. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.3154
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Nopita Sari, Nurul Ain Safrizon, Basarudin Basarudin, Adam Idris

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.