Muslims in Brunei can now own luxurious property in Mecca, through the Abraj Al-Bait project, which is a complex of seven high-rise blocks located about 100 metres from Masjidil Haram.

The objective of the project is to gather funds for the two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina.

I’m writing from Public Radio Marketplace, a business and finance radio program distributed by American Public Media.

We want to produce a feature on families who follow Islamic law when it comes to their finances. We’re looking for several people with personal or professional experience in Islamic finance to help us explore how Islam influences their financial decision making.

The Bank of London and the Middle East, which opens in London today, will bring “choice and depth” to London’s fast-growing Islamic financial services sector, according to chief executive Humphrey Percy.

London-based BLME is only the second independent, wholesale Islamic bank to be authorised by the UK’s Financial Services Authority. “Our proposition is strong. We’re well-capitalised, have a good team and strong institutional backers,” Mr Percy said.

The bank, which is 20 per cent owned by Kuwait’s Boubyan Bank, has raised £175m to date.