Mapping the Intellectual Landscape and Thematic Evolution of Islamic Finance and Financial Inclusion: A Scopus-Based Bibliometric Analysis (2013–2025)

Abstract

This bibliometric study maps the intellectual landscape and analyzes the thematic evolution of research at the intersection of Islamic finance and financial inclusion. Based on 169 peer-reviewed documents from Scopus (2013-2025), bibliometric analysis tools were employed to identify research trends, collaboration patterns, and conceptual frameworks. The results reveal a significant increase in the volume of publications since 2020, driven by emerging topics such as Islamic fintech, sustainability, and digital financial inclusion. The thematic map also shows the dominance of foundational concepts (such as financial inclusion and Islamic finance) with an absence of so-called "motor themes," indicating that the field is still in a conceptual formation stage. The study highlights many research gaps, including weak international cooperation, fragmented terminology, and poor integration of Islamic finance into national financial inclusion strategies. The study recommends expanding geographical coverage and exploring unexplored sub-topics such as green sukuk and digital waqf.