NEW YORK (AP) — Moazzam Ahmed tried for years to square his investment goals with the tenets of Islam.

Then, several years ago, he discovered a mutual fund company that complied with Shariah, or Islamic law, and soon rolled over his 401(k) to the funds. The funds prohibit investments in companies whose business focus on alcohol, tobacco, gambling, pornography or insurance.

Ahmed, a software developer in Kirkland, Wash., said his investment in the Amana funds, which are run by Saturna Capital Corp., meant he didn’t have to give up financial returns to follow his religion.

David Kathman, mutual fund analyst at Morningstar Inc., said investors should evaluate a religious fund with the same scrutiny they would bring to any other investment.

“The quality of the fund is something people should pay most attention to,” he said, noting that some so-called socially responsible funds carry higher fees than many other funds.