Meethaq and Oman Property Development Company facilitate home finance for Ras Al Hamra home project

Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, and Oman Property Development company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate attractive Meethaq home finance for the Al Hamra Classic Home project in Ras Al Hamra. 

The move underlines the upward swing in the residential segment of the real estate sector in Oman in light of the growth in population as well as the developing economy. The deregulation granting property ownership rights to GCC nationals and expatriates has also attracted Oman as an investment destination. 

Sulaiman Al Harthy, Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Islamic Banking, Meethaq, said: “Committed to sustainable social and economic development, Meethaq is happy to be associated with Al Hamra project to provide innovative home finance in line with shari’ah principles. The real estate sector is a major component of the national economy and Meethaq Islamic Banking is committed to extending a helping hand for easy access to shari’ah based home finance.”

Abbas bin Abdullah Al Ajmi, Chairman of Oman Property Development company, said: “Oman Property Development company is proud to join hands with Meethaq Islamic Banking in extending attractive home deals. The co-operation between the two institutions will benefit citizens to fulfill their dream homes in Al Hamra project comprising 15 residential units.” 

Meethaq offers a full suite of Islamic banking products and services, including savings accounts, current accounts, home finance, auto finance, credit cards, mobile banking and Internet banking. Meethaq has 17 branches across the Sultanate and plans to expand the network as well as launch new products and services to complement the Islamic banking experience. 

Zeroing in on vegan skincare lines which ship internationally

Vegan and vegetarian skincare is common in the UK but not as easy to find elsewhere, with most vegan brands shipping within the UK or Europe only. There are a handful of such brands which have gone international, The Body Shop for instance, and LUSH Cosmetics.

Source: Natural Skincare Co. website.

There are also brands with online stores which ship internationally*; the Natural Skincare Co. is one. The company has a vegan section that features skincare, haircare, cosmetics and suncare too. The company is careful to source only ethical and where possible organic products, and lists all ingredients on the product pages. Information about international orders can be found here.

Source: DeVita website.

DeVita is a certified organic aloe vera based, 100% paraben-free, vegan, age-defying natural skincare, body care and mineral makeup line. DeVita's international shipping information is here.

Source: OSEA website.

OSEA Founder Jenefer Palmer made marine algae the foundation of her skincare line after a positive experience at a spa in Argentina. The OSEA family is vegan, organic and gluten-free, and consists of skin and body care based on 100% pure, active ingredients and nutrients from the sea. OSEA does ship internationally, according to this FAQ.

*Brands will vary in quality, price, shipping fees, services, and breadth of regions to which they ship. Please check the list of countries covered to ensure that your destination is included.

RHT Academy organises seminar on Islamic Finance Compliance

RHT Academy is organising a seminar on Islamic finance compliance this June. 

The 'Islamic Finance Compliance Network - Creating a robust, practical and risk-focused Shari'ah-compliance programme' seminar will be held on 26 June from 10am to 12pm in Singapore, covering how financial institutions and companies can put in place a compliance framework that is consistent with Shari'ah principles – the foundations of an Islamic Finance framework – in a manner that is both  practical and risk-focused.  

Governance, risk management and other functions that can reside alongside the other conventional functions of a financial institution or company will also be discussed.

There is a registration fee of S$288. Click here to register.