Abstract

This study aims to discuss the concept of both Islamic and commercial banks, in order to illustrate the similarities and differences between Islamic and commercial banking systems. Additionally, this research evaluates the profitability of the Islamic and commercial banks in the GCC region and examines the impact of the subprime global financial crisis on both banking sectors during the period 2005-2013. The analysis of the financial information revealed significant findings in the profitability levels of the Islamic and commercial banks. The findings indicate that the Islamic banking system is more efficient in using its assets to generate profit; while commercial banks are more efficient than Islamic banks in terms of controlling their operating costs, conventional banks suffered significant losses in the financial market instruments, which led to reduce the profitability levels.