IFG (Islamic Finance Guru): Content Site vs Screening Tool

Islamic Finance Guru (IFG) is probably the most widely read English-language content site about halal finance. Founded by Ibrahim Khan and Mohsin Patel in the UK, it started as a blog, grew into a media brand, added a venture arm, and now runs educational products, a Halal Investing Directory, and an active newsletter. They do good work.

People often ask whether IFG replaces a screening tool. Short answer: no. Different product category. Long answer below.

What IFG actually is

IFG is primarily a content and education business. They publish:

Long-form articles about halal investing, mortgages, pensions, insurance, and business
Guides to Islamic finance concepts (sukuk, murabaha, musharaka, etc.)
Interviews with scholars, fund managers, and entrepreneurs
A newsletter covering weekly halal finance news
A directory of Islamic finance products and providers
Occasionally, partnered or sponsored content

They also operate IFG Ventures, an early-stage investing vehicle for halal startups, and they run educational courses on Islamic finance topics.

What IFG is not: a stock screening tool. They don't maintain a live database of 100,000+ stocks. They don't compute quarterly financial ratios across filings. They don't return pass/fail verdicts on tickers.

That's not a criticism. It's just a category difference.

Where IFG is actually great

Explainer content. If you want to understand what the difference is between a conventional mortgage and an Islamic home purchase plan, IFG has one of the best explanations on the internet. Same for sukuk, takaful, and other structural topics.

UK-specific halal finance. They are based in the UK and their content is strongest on UK halal banks, mortgages, ISAs, pensions, and property. If you're a British Muslim, IFG is probably the best free resource on how to structure your financial life halal in that jurisdiction.

Halal fund reviews. When a new halal fund or ETF launches, IFG usually writes about it with a fair-minded review. Their reviews of Wahed, Hejaz, Amana, and similar products are useful starting points if you're evaluating those products.

Newsletter. Their weekly newsletter is one of the most valuable sources of halal finance news in English. I read it every week and learn things.

Where IFG can't help you

"Is X stock halal?" IFG doesn't have a database. They might write an article about a specific stock if it's controversial (I've seen analysis of Tesla and some others), but they're not a systematic screening source.

Portfolio compliance tracking. You can't import your holdings into IFG and get an aggregate compliance report. That's not what they do.

Multi-framework comparison. IFG writes about methodology (good articles on AAOIFI, DJIM, etc.) but they don't provide a tool to run your ticker through multiple frameworks.

Real-time data. Content is written, edited, published. Filings change, compliance statuses shift. A content site can't keep up with the data.

If you're trying to answer "is this specific ticker halal under this specific framework right now," you need a tool. If you're trying to understand the concept or evaluate a product category, IFG is excellent.

Content depth test

Let me show you what IFG is good at. I wanted to understand the difference between an Islamic mortgage (Home Purchase Plan) using ijara versus musharaka versus murabaha structures. IFG has a multi-article series on this. After reading it, I understood:

The actual contractual structure of each
How rent vs interest works in practice
Why some UK Muslims still use conventional mortgages despite alternatives existing
The tax implications (SDLT in the UK specifically)
Which providers offer which structures

That's a topic where no tool can help me. No screener has a "mortgage calculator with Islamic structures" feature. IFG's content fills a real gap.

Now, the gap the other direction: I wanted to know if Tesla passes DJIM methodology specifically (as opposed to AAOIFI). No amount of IFG content answers that. I need FaithScreener or a similar tool.

The Directory: IFG's closest thing to a tool

IFG maintains a Halal Investing Directory that lists funds, robo-advisors, property platforms, and other halal financial products. It's useful as a starting point when you're shopping for a product.

It's not a screening tool. You can't put in your portfolio and get a compliance report. It's a list of things that exist, with brief descriptions and links.

Think of it as a phone book, not a search engine. Useful, limited.

Who wins for which scenarios

"I want to understand Islamic finance concepts"

IFG. Read their guides. Subscribe to the newsletter. Take a course if you want structured learning. This is their zone.

"I want to know if Microsoft is halal right now"

FaithScreener or another screening tool. IFG can't tell you this in real time.

"I want to compare halal robo-advisors"

IFG. They've reviewed most of the major ones and have fair comparative content.

"I want to run my portfolio through AAOIFI and see what fails"

FaithScreener. Import your tickers, select the framework, get a report.

"I'm thinking about a halal mortgage in the UK"

IFG, hands down. This is their home turf.

"I'm thinking about a halal mortgage in the US"

IFG has some US content but it's less deep. You might want both IFG's conceptual articles and a US-specific resource.

"I want news about halal finance"

IFG's newsletter is excellent.

Can you rely on IFG's opinions?

Mostly yes, with nuance. IFG is a for-profit business with content partnerships, sponsorships, and affiliate relationships. They disclose these when they apply, and I've found their disclosures honest. But you should read any "IFG recommends X product" content with the same critical eye you'd bring to any reviewer with financial relationships with vendors.

They have integrity as far as I can tell. They're also running a business. Both things are true.

What IFG and FaithScreener each optimize for

IFG optimizes for: understanding, context, education, UK halal finance landscape, product discovery.

FaithScreener optimizes for: data accuracy, coverage breadth, methodology flexibility, systematic compliance checking across 124,000+ stocks and 42 markets with 9 frameworks.

These optimization targets don't overlap much, which means they don't really compete. You use IFG to learn and FaithScreener to screen. I use both in the same week, constantly.

Comparison summary

Dimension	IFG	FaithScreener
Type	Content/media	Data/research tool
Stock coverage	None (doesn't screen)	124,000+ across 42 markets
Framework support	Explains concepts	9 active frameworks
UK-specific content	Excellent	None
Newsletter	Yes, valuable	No
Pricing	Mostly free, some paid courses	Free
Best use case	Learning and concept research	Real-time stock and portfolio screening

The worst version of each

The worst version of IFG is when someone reads a general article about "is stock investing halal" and comes away thinking they can skip the screening step because "stocks are mostly fine." That's a bad takeaway. IFG doesn't tell you that, but readers sometimes infer it.

The worst version of FaithScreener is when someone runs a screen, sees a stock is compliant, and invests without understanding the business, the valuation, or the underlying fundamentals. Screening is not investment analysis. It's a filter that precedes investment analysis.

Neither tool is a replacement for basic financial literacy.

A practical reading list

If you're new to halal investing, I'd actually recommend spending two weeks on IFG before touching a screening tool. Read their intro content. Understand the concepts. Then come to FaithScreener with questions you can articulate. You'll get more out of the tool.

If you're experienced and just want quick compliance checks, go straight to the tool. IFG is a nice-to-read but not a daily-use resource for experienced investors.

Verdict

IFG is a content-first brand. It's one of the best in the English-language halal finance space. Use it for learning, news, and UK halal finance specifics.

FaithScreener is a data-first tool. It's free and covers more stocks and frameworks than any competitor. Use it for actual screening decisions.

These are complements, not competitors. The question "IFG or FaithScreener" is like asking "Wikipedia or Google Scholar." Different tools, different jobs.

Common questions

Does IFG have a screening tool now? As of my last check in early 2026, no. They've explored adding one but have kept focus on content and product discovery.

Is IFG's content free? Mostly yes. Courses and some products are paid. Articles, newsletters, and directory access are free.

Is IFG biased toward UK perspectives? Yes, naturally, that's where they're based. Their content is useful globally but most relevant to UK readers.

Can I trust IFG's product reviews? I'd trust them with healthy skepticism. They disclose relationships and are generally fair, but they're also a business that benefits from certain products.

Use IFG to learn what to think about. Use FaithScreener at faithscreener.com to actually screen 124,000+ stocks across 42 markets and 9 frameworks for free. The combination is better than either alone.