The Effects of trust as a mediating on adoption of islamic banking system in southwest zone of Afghanistan

Abstract

 This study examines the effect of trust on the adoption of Islamic banking in the southwest zone of Afghanistan. It also investigates the influence of awareness, product knowledge, relative advantage, and social norms, while assessing the mediating role of trust. Data were collected from 432 respondents through a Google Form questionnaire and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 4 and SPSS 27. The findings show that trust is the strongest determinant of Islamic banking adoption. Relative advantage, social norms, and product knowledge have positive and significant effects, whereas awareness has no significant effect. Trust also mediates the relationships between selected variables and adoption. The study recommends strengthening Shariah compliance, transparency, financial literacy, and social support to enhance public trust and promote the sustainable growth of Islamic banking in Afghanistan.