Shariah-compliant equities and Shariah screening : need for convergence of ethical screening of stocks with Shariah screening

Purpose: This study explores the practical application of the Shariah screening process and how it could be enhanced by converging the same with the ethical screening of stocks. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts a qualitative research methodology by combining the qualitative descriptive approach and content analysis. Findings: The findings of this research suggest that there is scope to converge ethical screening of stocks with Shariah Screening as the lex loci applicable to Shariah screening is derived from Shariah, which considers ethics as part of determining its rules. Practical implications: The data from this study reveal several practical applications, the ultimate goal of which is to help the policymakers and stakeholders understand the relevance of the Shariah screening of stocks and get a streamlined screening process, paving the way to enhance the same using ethical screening criteria to develop its function to become much more relevant irrespective of the denomination of faiths. Originality/value: This is original research, which is expected to contribute to understanding the extent to which Shariah screening can be enhanced by integrating the ethical stock screening dimension to it.