Questions, answered simply.
What we screen for, how it works, and who it's for — without the jargon.
The basics
- What does Xumirah actually do?
- We screen the companies in major indexes (starting with the S&P 500) for Shariah compliance and the values you choose, then help you build a basket of the names that pass — which you own directly in your own brokerage. You hold the actual shares, not units of a fund.
- What does “Shariah-compliant” mean here?
- A company has to clear two kinds of checks. First, what it does — a business whose core activity isn't permissible (for example, interest-based lending, alcohol, tobacco, gambling) doesn't pass. Second, the shape of its finances — broadly, a company shouldn't carry too much interest-based debt or earn too much of its income from non-compliant sources. We apply recognized scholarly standards to draw those lines.
- What is direct indexing, and why does it matter?
- Instead of buying one share of a fund that pools everyone's money, you buy the underlying companies directly — so your account holds the individual stocks. That means you can remove the names that don't fit your values, see exactly what you own, and keep full control. A pooled fund can't be customized the way a basket of your own shares can.
Screening & your rules
- What's the difference between Standard, Strict, and Lenient?
- They map to recognized scholarly standards. Standard and Strict follow the AAOIFI methodology — the standard used across much of the Gulf — with Strict applying its tightest debt and income thresholds. Lenient follows the Dow Jones Islamic Market methodology, which some scholars prefer. Pick whichever you're comfortable with, and change it any time. (You can also turn Shariah screening off entirely and keep only your values filters.)
- Can I add my own values on top of Shariah screening?
- Yes. Climate, weapons, military-occupation, governance and recent-controversy filters all stack independently on top of whichever Shariah mode you choose. Turn on the ones that matter and the qualifying list updates immediately.
- Why did a particular stock fail?
- Every verdict comes with its reason — whether it was the company's line of business or one of the financial checks, or a values filter you switched on. You'll never get an unexplained “no.”
- How fresh is the screening?
- We re-screen against up-to-date company financials and news on an ongoing basis, so a verdict reflects where a company stands now — not a snapshot from months ago. If something you hold stops being compliant, Track tells you.
Who it's for
- Do I need to be Muslim to use Xumirah?
- Not at all. Turn the Shariah rules off and keep the values filters — climate, weapons, sanctions and the rest — and you've got a values-screened, directly-owned portfolio. It's the same engine either way; you choose which rules apply.
- Do you give financial advice?
- No. Xumirah is a screening and portfolio-building tool, not investment advice. You decide what to buy and hold. Markets carry risk and the value of investments can go down as well as up.
Trust & methodology
- How do I know the screening is sound?
- Our compliance checks follow recognized scholarly standards for Shariah investing, applied consistently and transparently — every result shows the reasoning behind it. We're built in Qatar, in the heart of the market we serve.
- Will you publish your exact thresholds and data sources?
- We explain what we screen for and the principles behind it, as on this page. The precise thresholds, weightings, and data pipeline that make our screening accurate are part of how the product works — so we keep those specifics in-house, while keeping every individual verdict fully explained to you.
Still curious? Just try it.
Paste a portfolio and watch the screening happen — no sign-up.