Is Global Ship Lease (GSL) stock Halal?
Under AAOIFI Shariah Standard No. 21, a Halal stock keeps non-permissible income below 5% of revenue and interest-bearing debt and investments each below 30% of market capitalisation. Global Ship Lease, Inc. (GSL) does not meet the threshold for the interest-bearing investments and interest-bearing debt screens as of September 2026, so it is not Shariah compliant.
Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships, playing a vital role in the global maritime logistics industry. Its primary purpose is to provide well-maintained vessels for shipping goods and materials across international waters. The company's fleet consists of a diverse range of container ships, which are typically leased to major shipping companies under long-term, fixed-rate charters. This provides Global Ship Lease with stable and predictable revenue streams. For Muslim investors, though, the most pressing question is simpler: is Global Ship Lease a Halal investment?
Is Global Ship Lease Shariah compliant?
For industrial companies like Global Ship Lease, the product is rarely the problem; aircraft, vehicles and machinery are permissible. The exposure is leverage: fleets and factories are financed, and the 30% cap that AAOIFI Shariah Standard No. 21 places on interest bearing debt is the screen that decides most verdicts in this sector.
Does Global Ship Lease pass the business activity test?
The activity screen is only part of the picture this month: Global Ship Lease currently fails the interest-bearing investments and interest-bearing debt screens, so the overall verdict is not compliant regardless of the business itself. The activity itself raises no Shariah objection; the scrutiny belongs to the financing.
Is Global Ship Lease's income Halal?
Yes, within AAOIFI's tolerance. Global Ship Lease's income from non-permissible sources stays below 5% of revenue in the September 2026 screening.
Does Global Ship Lease meet AAOIFI's debt and investment ratio requirements?
No. Both ratios currently breach the 30% caps: interest bearing investments and interest bearing debt each exceed the limit AAOIFI permits for a Halal investment. The ratios move with the share price as well as the balance sheet, and our Shariah Supervisory Board has GSL re-screened every month.
Tabadulat is an ADGM regulated brokerage whose license covers Shari'a Compliant Regulated Activities, as the FSRA permission names them. New to the terminology? Gharar and Maysir, Sukuk, Zakat and purification are all explained in plain English.
New to the four screens? Read AAOIFI Standards Explained: What Makes a Stock Halal?



