Uncovering The Leadership Gap In The Digital Transformation Of Islamic Financial Institutions: A Literature Mapping Analysis

Abstract

Digital transformation has reshaped the financial industry, compelling Islamic financial institutions to adopt technological innovation while adhering to Islamic principles. Although studies on fintech and digital transformation within Islamic finance have expanded rapidly, the leadership dimension has not been explicitly integrated into existing analyses. This study aims to map the scientific landscape of digital transformation in Islamic finance and explore opportunities to position leadership as a conceptual bridge between governance and sustainability. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Scopus data from 2014-2024. Keyword such as ‘fintech’, ‘digital’, ‘Islamic’ and ‘transformation’ were analyzed through co-occurrence and density visualization to identify dominant themes. The analysis reveals that research trends are concentrated on governance, risk, value creation and digital adaptation. These clusters implicitly suggest the importance of leadership in driving institutional change, even though the term itself was not a search variable. Based on this insight, the study proposes a conceptual framework of Islamic digital leadership that integrates transformational, ethical and servant leadership dimensions. The research concludes that strengthening leadership grounded in Islamic values is essential for ensuring a sustainable and value-driven digital transformation in Islamic financial institutions.