Jurnal Akuntansi & Auditing Indonesia
Vol. 30 No. 1 (2026)

Islamic accountants and the quest for professionalization in Indonesia: Opportunities, challenges, and institutional legitimacy

Maulana, Aviandi Okta (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
10 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the professionalization of Islamic accountants in Indonesia, an under-researched area in the Islamic accounting and accounting profession literature. Although Islamic finance has increased the demand for Sharia-compliant reporting and specialized accounting expertise, the professional status of Islamic accountants remains unclear. Drawing on the professional systems framework developed by Abbott (2014), this qualitative study examines professional work through its objective and subjective dimensions based on semi-structured interviews with 11 key stakeholders, including regulators, practitioners, and academics. The findings show that the professionalization of Islamic accountants is shaped by the interdependence between subjective and objective dimensions. Subjective factors include the evolving professional identity of Islamic accountants, societal perceptions and acceptance, and the debate over integration versus independence. Objective factors include standardization and certification, education and competency, and regulation and governance. This study contributes to the Islamic accounting literature by positioning Islamic accountants as emerging professional actors in Indonesia’s Islamic financial industry.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

JAAI

Publisher

Subject

Economics, Econometrics & Finance

Description

JURNAL AKUNTANSI & AUDITING INDONESIA (JAAI) is published by Accounting Department, Faculty of Economics, Islamic University of Indonesia and Supported by IAI-KAPd (Ikatan Akuntan Indonesia - Kompartemen Akuntan Pendidik). Published twice a year on June and December, JAAI is a media of communication ...