Are Islamicity Indices Islamic?: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Islamicity Indices

This paper examines the Islamicity Indices, which aim to measure the alignment of national governance, economic structures, and social policies with Islamic principles. Although developed to provide an objective benchmark for assessing ‘Islamic’ governance, these indices have drawn criticism for relying heavily on secular, Western-centric metrics such as GDP growth, political liberalism, and legal transparency. Such reliance risks distorting the holistic and value-oriented nature of Islam, which integrates spirituality, ethics, and communal responsibility. For instance, economic openness and individual liberties, as defined in liberal frameworks, may conflict with Islamic norms that emphasize distributive justice, prohibition of riba (interest), and moral accountability. A key concern is the frequent ranking of non-Muslim-majority countries above Muslim-majority ones, suggesting a misalignment between the indices’ measurement tools and Islamic epistemology. This paper argues that fragmenting Islam into quantifiable secular metrics undermines its integrative worldview. In response, a revised evaluative paradigm is proposed—one that incorporates core Islamic values such as ethical finance, zakat-based redistribution, governance rooted in amanah and shura, and indicators of social solidarity. By embedding Islamic epistemological foundations into the index construction, researchers can develop a more faithful model of Islamicity. This would not only offer Muslim societies a relevant diagnostic tool but also provide a bridge for cross-cultural understanding. The proposed framework thus sets the groundwork for more meaningful, norm-sensitive measures of Islamic governance and development.