Air Asia announces new destinations in Indonesia

AirAsia has strengthened its network into Indonesia and the Philippines with new routes from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Pontianak, Indonesia; and from Johor Bahru to Medan, Indonesia. The two Indonesian routes operate twice weekly. 

Spencer Lee, Head of Commercial for AirAsia said, “Being the first and only airline to provide direct flights to Pontianak from Kuala Lumpur, we are optimistic in tapping into this under-served charming city at West Kalimantan. Besides, we are just as excited to provide greater connectivity for our guests from Johor Bahru to Medan, Indonesia that has a lot to offer for business and leisure alike."

Flight Frequencies for Kuala Lumpur - Pontianak

Flight No	Depart	Arrive	STD	ETA	Frequency
AK 478	KUL	PNK	11:50	12:30	Friday, Sunday
AK 479	PNK	KUL	12:55	15:50	Friday, Sunday

Flight Frequencies for Johor Bahru – Medan (Kualanamu) 

Flight No	Depart	Arrive	STD	ETA	Frequency
AK 1335	JHB	KNO	18:30	18:50	Friday, Sunday
AK 1336	KNO	JHB	19:15	21:35	Friday, Sunday

*KUL: Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia; PNK: Supadio International Airport in Pontianak, Kalimantan, Indonesia; JHB: Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru, Malaysia; KNO: Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, Indonesia. 


*All-in fares only include airport tax. Optional charges and other fees excluded. For one way travel only. 

Jerusalem affirmed as a tourist destination

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (IIFA) of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) issued a resolution on visiting Al-Quds* confirming that the "shari’ah (legal) ruling is that this visit is mandoob (recommended) and desirable."


Resolution 216 (12/22) titled Visiting Al-Quds: Objectives and Shar’i Rulings was adopted by the 22nd session of the IFFA Council, held in Kuwait from 22 to 25 March 2015.

The Council explained that after balancing the pros and cons of visiting Al-Quds, it concluded that the evaluation of the interests is up to the rulers and politicians in Muslim countries. The IFFA Council highlighted the need to remind all Muslims that the issue of Al-Quds is that of the entire Ummah and that all Muslims  should support Al-Quds, the Maqdisites and the people of Palestine. It also noted that Al-Quds Ash-Sharif does not only belong the Palestinians alone, but to all Muslims.

In OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani's speech at the opening of the IIFA Twenty-Second Session, he pointed out that visiting Al-Quds Ash-Sharif and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to know more about the city and to communicate with its people would confirm to the world that Muslims have a right to the place.

*Al Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem and Maqdisites are the people of Al Quds.

New welcome programme for mu'tamirs arriving in Jeddah

His Highness the Minister of Hajj Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar, has launched a new welcome programme for mu`tamirs (pilgrims not on Hajj) who arrive in Saudi Arabia via King Abdul-Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. 

This programme will be launched on Jumada Al-Thany 10, 1436 (today) with the participation of Saudi umrah companies and establishments. The initiative will be implemented in two phases, the first of which starts immediately after the arrival of the mu`tamirs by plane. Mu`tamirs will receive gifts and experience hospitality in the Arabic tradition, including the serving of Arab coffee, dates, and Zamzam water. Hizaji Majas (special Islamic songs relevant to Hijaz) and other Islamic chants will be performed. 

In the second phase, after the mu`tamirs have finalised arrival procedures and boarded the buses which will transport them to Makkah Al-Mukarramah or Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, each mu`tamir will be offered a rose and chocolate. 

Exploring the religious and cultural aspects of Baluchistan

Balochistan: Architecture, Craft, and Religious Symbolism, by Dr Mohsen Keiany, is one of the few studies focusing on the culture, architecture and religious traditions of Balochistan (also spelt Baluchistan) and its people. The hardback (ISBN 978-0-19-906784-8) is published by OUP Pakistan, runs to 370 pages and costs £41.99 excluding VAT.                                                     

In this January 2015 research work Dr Keiany, an artist and lecturer in architecture and visual arts at the University of Arts in Isfahan and also at Azad University of Shiraz, Iran, explores the living tradition of Baluchistan and provides a deeper understanding of its religo-cultural aspects. The architectural and artistic traditions are well-documented in this book. The material presented on prayer rugs, tents, and aspects of the nomadic and semi-nomadic architecture is wholly original. 

The research first focuses on the social environment of Baluchistan, in order to understand the input of local culture and tribo-religious influences of local architecture. The Baluchi lifestyle is analysed on a broad plane, taking into account native architecture including mosques and symbolic minarets as key factors, together with their design, characteristics, social contextualisation and methods of production.

SESRIC publishes study on reducing poverty with waqf and Islamic microfinance

Source: SESRIC.

Integration of Waqf and Islamic Microfinance for Poverty Reduction: Case Studies of Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, edited by Professor Savas Alpay, Director General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), and Mohamed Aslam Haneef, Professor at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), presents the outcome of a two-year research collaboration between SESRIC and the Centre for Islamic Economics at IIUM. 

The research project covered three Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, and aims to develop an integrated waqf-based Islamic microfinance model to optimise the use of combined resources of waqf and Islamic microfinance institutions in OIC countries. It is anticipated that such an optimisation will ultimately enhance the effectiveness of IMF and waqf institutions in addressing the socioeconomic needs of the society, particularly through effective poverty alleviation programmes.

The report consists of four main sections, starting with a brief overview of poverty in OIC countries, poverty alleviation programmes in Malaysia, Indonesia and Bangladesh and then discussing the potential of waqf as another viable source for financing microfinance institutions in these three countries. 

Section two presents the Integrated Waqf-based Islamic Microfinance (IWIM) model, which comprises six components, waqf, Islamic microfinance, human resources, takaful, project financing and poverty alleviation, plus relevant hypotheses. In order to test the hypotheses of the IWIM model in the three countries, the next section discusses research methodology while the last section focuses on the empirical findings and policy recommendations.

The conceptual IWIM model treats the waqf institution as the “funding agency” and the Islamic microfinance institution as the “implementing agency” that is offering microfinance services together with takaful services and financing human resource development programmes. A fifth component, project financing, to which is be provided by the Islamic microfinance institution, was added to the model. 

According to the report, there is strong indication that the IWIM model can be a viable alternative model for poverty alleviation. The report reaffirms that microfinance is an important institution in the fight against poverty and that Islamic microfinance provides additional value in the context of riba-free financing. Furthermore, the report says that the IWIM model can successfully help microfinance institutions to overcome two major challenges, the provision of financing at lower cost and the facilitation of human resource development programmes.

View the online version here.

Get ready for India's only trade show for tea and coffee this October

A cup of coffee.

The 3rd World Tea & Coffee Expo 2015 (WTCE), India's only international trade show focused on tea and coffee, will be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, India from 1 to 3 October 2015.

The exhibition showcasing brands, products, machinery and technologies from India and abroad is complemented by a two-day conference, a match-making programme, technical workshops, tasting sessions, barista championships, and latte art events.

Over 6,000 trade visitors are expected to attend.

Muis shares how Singapore's first Prime Minister supported the Malay Muslim community

Muis, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, along with the Singapore Muslim community, has conveyed its deepest condolences and sympathies to Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong and his family on the passing of his father, Singapore's first PM Lee Kuan Yew, in a statement dated 23 March. 

The statement says that the late Lee helped the Malay Muslim community grow. "Among his many contributions was facilitating the formation of Muis as a statutory body when the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) took effect in 1968. He will also always be remembered for his strong support for the introduction of the Mosque Building Fund Scheme in 1975, which helped the community to rally together and strengthen this key community institution during Singapore’s period of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation," Muis noted, ending with "We join the nation in mourning the loss of a great statesman and leader. Our thoughts and prayers are with PM Lee and his family during this very difficult moment."

Hashtag: #LKY

Look to Malaysia, Indonesia and UAE as growth markets for 2015: DinarStandard

The Islamic Growth Markets Investment Report 2015, published by DinarStandard, a new way of looking at investment opportunities across the 57 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. OIC member countries, representing a GDP in 2013 of US$6.7 trillion, are projected to grow 2015-19 at a higher rate (5.4%) than rest of the world (3.6%) or compared to BRIC nations (3.9%), DinarStandard has revealed. 

The Islamic Growth Markets Investment Report 2015 presents 10 fast-growing consumer driven sector clusters such as food, retail, tourism, and health as well as government-driven expenditure on infrastructure and construction as candidates for investment and discusses their potential in the context of the full geographic spectrum of the growth markets and their global value chain. 

The report lists Malaysia, Indonesia, and UAE as the leaders in the inaugural 2015 Islamic Growth Markets Investment Index which ranks investment potential within the OIC member country grouping. The Index is based on a set of nine metrics covering the categories of a country’s growth fundamentals, growth momentum, investment momentum and relative country risk.

Indonesia has the strongest growth fundamentals among the top three. It has the highest population (249 million, 2013) and GDP (US$870 billion, current US$, 2013), while Malaysia has the strongest growth and investment momentum (217% FDI inflows growth 2009-13). GCC economies led by the UAE are also on the top ten list which also includes Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Other markets on the top 10 include Kazakhstan and Turkey.

DinarStandard’s OIC Industry Clusters Model has prioritised 10 sector clusters within OIC countries that provide best opportunities for sector based investment strategy. The top OIC sector clusters are: energy, food & agriculture, electronics, travel & transportation, Metals, chemical & allied, plastics/rubber, textiles & related, Infrastructure & construction, and Health products & Services. Across each of the sector groupings, areas of competencies from different OIC markets across the value chain present unique investmen and growth opportunities.

Click here to download the report. 

New Arabic-English, English-Arabic dictionary contains more than 130,000 entries

Source: OUP.

Produced using the dictionary resources of Oxford University Press with an international team of expert advisors, the Oxford Arabic Dictionary is ideal for serious students of Arabic and English, as well as academics, professionals, business people, teachers, and translators.

The £65 hardback Oxford Arabic Dictionary was published in August 2014, and is also available online. This resource includes the latest vocabulary from computing, business, the media, and the arts, across both languages.

The Arabic-English and English-Arabic dictionary is designed for both Arabic and English native speakers. Based on real modern evidence and computational analysis of hundreds of millions of words of both English and Modern Standard Arabic (the standardised variety of Arabic used in writing and in most formal speech), the dictionary boasts more than 130,000 words and phrases and 200,000 translations. 

It features:

• Over 80,000 collocates and meaning indicators guide you to the right translation 
• Over 70,000 fully translated example sentences and idioms taken from language in real use 
• The most commonly used sense of each word is shown first
• The Arabic-English section of the dictionary is organised by roots, which are listed alphabetically
• Vowels in all Arabic text help non-Arabic speakers in pronunciation and comprehension 
• Tables of Arabic verb conjugations, full forms of Arabic numbers, dates, and years, and irregular English verbs

World Halal Travel Summit to top other events on halal travel and tourism

The World Halal Travel Summit (WHTS15), the largest showcase of halal travel and tourism solutions, is to run over halls 6 and 7 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from October 19 to 21, 2015. 

Organised under the theme Driving The Halal Tourism Revolution, the multi-faceted event will include an exhibition with over 230 exhibitors and sponsors and more than 6,000 delegates and trade visitors, including at a 1,000-seat conference that is expected to host keynote sessions, panel discussions, a ministerial debate and 150 presentations from 70 international speakers.

“The halal tourism market is booming with analysts saying it now represents 13% of the global market,” said WHTS15 Events Manager Hosam Moustafa in a statement at the end of 2014. “A recent Muslim travel report, released by the consultancy DinarStandard and rating agency Crescent Rating, projects that until at least 2020, Muslim international tourism will increase faster than conventional tourism – 4.79% versus 3.8%. At that point, overall annual spending for international Muslim tourism is expected to reach US$192 billion and these figures don’t even include estimated Hajj and umrah expenditures.

“The time is right for an event of this size and scope to address the needs of this vast international sector and Abu Dhabi, with its award-winning ADNEC and event facilities in the heart of this market, is an ideal venue and host.”

WHTS15 is being brought to the UAE capital by organiser Cacti Events with the support of Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau – the dedicated business events promotion arm of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

“Many Muslim majority markets are now fast emerging economies, with higher than average population growth rates supported by a young demographic,” said Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director Tourism, TCA Abu Dhabi. “Against this background, expenditure by halal tourists is expected to rise more than 6% per annum for the foreseeable future, which is almost double global industry growth.

“With Abu Dhabi now specifically targeting the halal tourism sector with segment-specific accommodation and product, the staging of this event in the UAE capital will put the spotlight on our offering and ambitions.”

WHTS15 is expected to draw high profile international attendance from government delegations, tourism associations, market-leading private sector operators and leading financiers funding Islamic tourism projects.

“WHTS15 is a major opportunity for tourism bodies, private tourism companies and professionals interested in developing business models in the halal travel space – perhaps the single most important meeting of the decade for this sector,” added Moustafa.

“More than 60 countries will be represented at WHTS15, with many exhibiting and others contributing presentations and speakers to the conference sessions.”

WHTS15 will focus on intra-tourism between the 57 members states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) - the second largest inter-governmental organisation after the United Nations with a membership spread over four continents.

Keynote conference sessions will focus on practical applications to increase intra-OIC tourism productivity – innovative technologies, capacity building and entrepreneurship, the role of the private sector and the way that local bodies can quickly adopt and adapt the best international thinking.

In addition to the Summit, WHTS15 will host a half-day high-level Dialogue on 19 October for Muslim majority tourism policy makers, influencers and key industry leaders to identify and engage on impending and future tourism initiatives. Admission is by invitation only, with enquiries to be directed to visitors@cactievents.com.

TCA Abu Dhabi has adopted a halal travel strategy which has seen it engage with four Abu Dhabi hotels, namely the One-To-One The Village; the Ayla Hotel Al Ain, the Hala Arjaan by Rotana and Al Rawda Arjaan Hotel by Rotana in Abu Dhabi city, which are all listed on www.halalbooking com.

“We can meet specific Muslim demands on a number of fronts – halal F&B is one, another is specific segmented family product and specific product segmented for use by the different genders. We also have a number of high and medium quality alcohol-free hotels and segmented sessions for females at mainline attractions,” explained Al Dhaheri.

“Some of our operators are also realising the potential of the market – one example is Captain Tony’s dhow boat cruises, which offer ladies-only tours of the Corniche. Ladies-only sessions are also available at our Yas Waterworld aqua park and on Wednesday nights at Yas Marina Circuit there is a whole evening of sports and activities training for ladies.

“Of course, a visit to our Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque would be an essential on any halal tourism agenda. In addition, Abu Dhabi as a wealth of world-class restaurants and eateries where guests can enjoy international cuisine all prepared to halal standards.”

Al Dhaheri says halal travel will become more prominent in its destination promotion in terms of exposure and quality of product offering.

“We envisage receiving increasing numbers from this segment particularly given that Abu Dhabi serves as a hub for traffic transiting from East to West and vice versa. We can link the highly populous Muslim countries of the East to the West and those in the opposite direction via Abu Dhabi International Airport and we hope that many will choose to break their journey in the emirate and eventually become convinced to stay longer."

Register to attend here.

Organisers share more details of World Halal Summit 2015

Malaysia's World Halal Summit (WHS) is set to be the largest halal event of its kind in the ASEAN region, say organisers of the 30 March to 4 April event.
The WHS features a trade fair and six subject-focused forums hosted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia (MITI) and jointly organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), and Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC). 

Source: World Halal Summit. YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry, speaking at the World Halal Summit 2015 press conference on March 10.

The halal component of the global economy is now estimated at US$2.3 trillion, with the the halal food sector alone accounting for almost US$700 billion of the total, serving a worldwide Muslim population of about 1.8 billion, organisers said.

The largest, world-renowned integrated Halal trade fair, Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) by MATRADE, will be the highlight of WHS this year. MIHAS, in its 12th edition, has now become the go-to halal expo. 

“This year, we have allocated 640 booths for local and international businesses who are seeking to reach out to the right target audience for their Halal products and services. As of today, a total of 534 local and international companies have taken up our booths – with 55% local exhibitors and 45% international businesses from 20 countries...Representatives from Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) countries are from Bangladesh Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey," said Datuk Dr Wong Lai Sum, Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE, noting that  12 countries and territories are non-OIC members: Belgium, mainland China, France, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the US.

“Last year, MIHAS generated total sales of US$291.4 million of which sales from the exhibition alone was recorded at US$147.5 million, and US$143.9 million from business matching. In tandem with increasing interest in the global Islamic economy sectors, we expect sales from MIHAS 2015 to multiply.” 

In addition to MIHAS, the World Halal Summit brings together some of the key components of the halal ecosystem through six forums, the World Halal Conference (WHC), the 6th JAKIM International Halal Certification Bodies Convention, the Certifiers Forum, Scholars Forum, Academics Forum, and the Business Forum.

Said HDC’s Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Seri Jamil Bidin of the WHC theme, Halal Economy – A Profitable Convergence: “The conference’s theme reflects the need for a renewed global effort amongst halal stakeholders to further strengthen the integration of industries within the halal ecosystem towards the realisation of a holistic halal economy. More emphasis must be placed on areas that include research and development, innovation, human capital development, as well as Islamic banking and finance to develop a seamless point-to-point halal supply chain. In this instance, Islamic asset-based banking instruments must support the financing of the halal industry in the effort to realise true convergence of shari'ah principles throughout the industry.”

Read our blog post about World Halal Summit 2015 here.

Garuda, Turkish Airlines code-sharing till October 2015

Garuda Indonesia and Turkish Airlines are implementing a codeshare agreement from Jakarta to Istanbul and vice versa. This new agreement is in effect from until October 24 2015.

The updated codeshare flight schedule between Garuda Indonesia and Turkish Airlines is as follows:

Source: Garuda Indonesia. CGK is the airport code for Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, while IST is the airport code for Atatürk International Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. STD refers to the time of departure, and STA to the time of arrival. +1 next to a number indicates that arrival is on the next day.

Enquiries on the codeshare agreement should be directed to +62 8041 807 807 or +6221 2351 9999.

Singapore provides update on zakat, mosques and religious schools

More in Singapore are donating zakat electronically, revealed Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister-In-Charge of Muslim Affairs at the 2015 Committee of Supply debate last week. The donations are received through eNets, AXS, OCBC and CIMB direct credit, and soon also available through DBS’ ATMs and iBanking. 

"I am proud to share that zakat collection increased from almost S$22.8 million in 2010 to about S$32 million at the end of 2014. This healthy collection allowed the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or MUIS) not only to extend zakat support to more than 5,432 zakat recipients in 2014, but to also enhance the eligibility criteria. As such, from this year on, the community will be able to help 1,000 more recipients through zakat," he said.

Minister Yaacob observed that mosques are an effective channel for reaching the needy. "Last year, we saw the launch of Nadi Khidmat* by the Council for the Development of Singapore Malay/Muslim Community (MENDAKI), MUIS and six mosques, to bring social assistance to the community and to connect them to the wider ecosystem of national programmes and agencies, like the Family Service Centres and Social Service Offices. We have received positive feedback from the community, as the centres helped streamline the referral process, and also made information on the various community and national assistance schemes more easily available," he said. 

"We will continue to enhance the effectiveness of these centres, with a view to expand the service to more locations if necessary. In the meantime, to better reflect the coordinating role of Mendaki, and in recognition of the “pioneer” centres in Pasir Ris and Woodlands, all Nadi Khidmat centres will henceforth adopt the Mendaki@Heartlands brand name."

Minister Yaacob shared two success stories in which mosques have helped with community outreach. At Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah mosque, mosques officers have worked with the Syariah Court to ensure that eligible families undergoing divorce proceedings continue to benefit from MENDAKI’s social  schemes. At Al Mutaqqin mosque in Ang Mo Kio, MENDAKI worked with Toa Payoh East Citizens’ Consultative Committee and educational institute Mindchamps Singapore to nominate students for the Mrs Carmee Lim Scholarship, through which recipients will be able to attend a range of enrichments programmes under MindChamps. 

"This year, NTUC’s U Care Centre will pilot an initiative with Al-Mukminin mosque in Jurong East, to outreach to low wage workers in the neighbourhood on workfare, training schemes and their employment rights," he added. 

New mosques are being built, Minister Yaacob also shared. Al-Islah mosque in Punggol will be opened in time for Ramadhan, while ground breaking ceremonies were held for Maarof mosque in Jurong West and Yusof Ishak mosque in Woodlands. "I applaud the mosque building committees of Maarof mosque and Yusof Ishak mosque for raising approximately S$2 million each, and commend the community for their strong support in a very short time. These three mosques will add close to 13,000 prayer spaces nationwide when completed," he said.

Minister Yaacob noted that Al-Ansar mosque in Bedok is due to be re-opened in April, with a capacity of 4,500 spaces, while the major upgrading of Darul Ghufran mosque in Tampines will add 1,000 more prayer spaces and expanded Islamic learning facilities in 2016. Tampines North will also host a new mosque. Five mosques are undergoing upgrading this year in addition: En-Naeem (Hougang), Sultan (Rochor/Bugis), Sallim Mattar (Aljunied), Al-Khair (Choa Chu Kang) and Al-Falah (Orchard). 

Singapore mooted the idea of a single madrasah system for all six madrasahs to consolidate resources and offer an integrated curriculum for students in 2007. Minister Yaacob shared that MUIS disbursed S$194,000 to the six madrasahs from Wakaf Ilmu in 2014, and provided S$2.3 million in grants to needy madrasah students through the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme (PROMAS) between 2010 and 2014. "The Minister for Education had recently announced that Ministry of Education will waive fees for national examinations for Singapore citizen students in government-funded schools starting this year, and that the specific respective agencies will consider the treatment for other schools, where necessary. Hence, I would like to share that the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) will assist MUIS so that madrasah students will also not need to pay these fees," he said.

The minister also noted that three madrasahs – Irsyad, Aljunied, Arabiah – have integrated under a single system. "2015 is a key milestone for these three madrasahs, as the first batch of students who have undergone six years of primary education under this system have been posted to Madrasah Aljunied and Madrasah Al-Arabiah following the release of the PSLE results last year," the minister said. 

"One such student is Sukainah Bte Sulaiman, who scored an aggregate score of 264 for her PSLE and scored straight A*s for the Islamic Studies Placement Examination. Despite being eligible for top national schools, she has chosen to pursue her studies in Madrasah Aljunied. Sukainah is keen to deepen her knowledge in Islamic studies, as she hopes to contribute to the intellectual and spiritual development of the community in the future. This is a good example of how our consolidated madrasah system nurtures our young and enables them to pursue areas where they have a strong interest," he said.

Apart from full-time madrasah education, MUIS has also been working hard to strengthen part-time Islamic education. The aLIVE (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) programme, targeted at children aged seven to 16 years old, has grown from an enrolment of 1,800 students in 2005 to over 16,000 in 2014. Plans are in place to cater for a 12% increase in enrolment spaces within the next year, Minister Yaacob said. "The latest update to the programme will be rolled out in the first half of this year. In addition, MUIS disbursed about S$1 million under its Islamic Education Fund to help 2,800 students from low income families attend religious classes in 2014."

In light of increasing demand for adult Islamic learning (ADIL), MUIS now has 13 participating mosques in the programme. ADIL’s courses have with expanded with three new intermediate modules and eight more later this year. "As of November 2014, I am happy to note that about 2,300 participants have signed up for ADIL classes," he said. 

View the full speech here. 

*Nadi Khidmat provides social services at six locations outside of the city centre. MUIS, MENDAKI and six mosques are involved. Assyakirin mosque at Taman Jurong, Al-Muttaqin at Ang Mo Kio, Al-Ansar at Bedok and Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah at Tiong Bahru are directly involved. MENDAKI@Heartlands (MIH) offices at Pasir Ris and Woodlands are the remaining two locations. Officers at these MIHs work closely An-Nur and Al-Istighfar mosques respectively to provide the services needed.

Bangladesh ambassador holds talks on Hajj with Minister of Hajj, KSA

Source: Ministry of Hajj, KSA. HH the Minister of Hajj, Dr Bandar.

His Highness the Minister of Hajj, Dr Bandar ibn Muhammad Hajjar, met His Excellency the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Kingdom, Golam Moshi, on 16 March. 

During the meeting, issues relevant to the affairs of the Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims for 1436 were discussed. His Excellency the Ambassador praised the efforts exerted and the projects which have been accomplished in the Two Holy Mosques and at the Sacred Sites and praised the efficient coordination and collaboration between the Ministry of Hajj, the agencies affiliated to it, other governmental agencies, and all the offices of Hajj affairs.  

Singapore religious school application exercise from 30 March to 2 April

Source: MUIS website.

The 2016 primary one religious school (madrasah) application exercise for Singapore, a joint effort between Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis), Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah, Madrasah Al-Maarif Al-Islamiah and Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah,  will be held from 30 March to 4 April 2015. Applications are closed on 3 April. Placement test dates are on 11 April, with results mailed in the first week of May.

Interested parents and legal guardians whose children are born on or between 2 January 2009 and 1 January 2010 are invited to apply to one of the three madrasahs. Applications will only be allowed for one madrasah.

Click here to find out more and to download the application form.

First book to study tafsir as a genre published

Source: OUP website.

Tafsīr and Islamic Intellectual History: Exploring the Boundaries of a Genre (ISBN 978-0-19-870206-1), is part of the Oxford University Press' Qur'anic Studies Series. The volume offers the only up-to-date survey of scholarship on tafsīr as a genre and its place within the broader framework of Muslim scholarship.

The 400-page hardback, launched in January 2015, represents the first attempt at analysing the fields in which Muslim exegetical activity takes place, its relation to other fields of learning and the conditions that influence the results of exegesis. The £55 book discusses the emergence of the genre in the beginnings of Islamic history and the changes and potential ruptures it has experienced in later times, the role of hadith, law, language, philosophy, theology and political ideology for the interpretive process, the regional dimension, the influx of modernist ideas and the process of writing tafsīr in languages other than Arabic.

Questions answered include: 

• How and when did Qur'anic exegesis (tafsīr) emerge as a literary genre of its own? 
• To what extent was it influenced by other disciplines, such as law, theology or philosophy
• How did different political or theological agendas shape works of tafsīr, and in what ways did the genre develop over time and in different regions?

Edited by Andreas Görke, Lecturer in Islamic Studies, University of Edinburgh, and Johanna Pink, Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Freiburg, the book consists of essays from 15 contributors who are leading scholars in the field or young researchers, providing a mix of perspectives. 

Indonesian fashion store Moshaict features unique prints from an Epson printer

Source: Epson. The Hijab Store.

When Indonesian entrepreneur and digital textile expert Budi Santoso opened his own business in 2008, it had nothing to do with printing. Moshaict is a clothing store that specialises in fashions for Muslim women. The first store opened in Jakarta about six years ago. In 2011, he had a brainwave: why rely on external printers, when he could print his own products and sell them in his store? 

Having discovered the Epson SureColor SC-F7070 online, Santoso made some comparisons with other similar machines and found that the SC-F7070 was the most suitable for his needs. “Everything I read talked about the quality of the prints and the cost was within my reach. I also found out that many of the other brands use Epson’s parts so I thought why not get an entire machine that was made by Epson, rather than one that only has parts," said Santoso. 

“Working with my designer, I used the printer to create our own unique fashion designs and print them in-house. It was a hit and we managed to reduce our costs,” he said.

Source: Epson. A range of the results from the printer.

Santoso currently has ten Moshaict outlets in and around Jakarta and is looking to open at least another five more. This means more textile printing, an area that Santoso has already decided to focus on.

"I chose Epson and it paid off; my customers are all very satisfied,” states Santoso. “This investment has already allowed me to grow my fashion business and branch out into a brand new area of business – professional printing. I definitely want to expand my printing capabilities, invest more in it and see it grow.”

Moshaict has a 50% off sale till the end of March. The store is available online but only ships within Indonesia.

World Halal Summit 2015 to focus on energising the halal ecosystem

The World Halal Summit (WHS), a central platform for marketing and promoting halal goods and services covering various different areas of the supply chain from raw materials to ingredients to ready products, will run from 30 March to 4 April at KLCC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The 2015 theme, Energising the Halal Ecosystem, has been chosen to reflect the world’s steadfast mission in exploring and identifying the untapped potential when the best minds are brought together to exchange and share halal-related knowledge and findings, connect and explore common terms, and unite halal certification bodies in accelerating the development of the halal industry and market globally. 

The event has been designed to enable business-matching and information sharing, with six subject-focused conferences targeted to gather the world’s top change agents in halal-related sectors under one roof:

Scholars Forum

The Scholars Forum, 1 to 3 April, is a platform for scholars and community leaders to discuss the halal market and the wider Islamic economy. 

Certifiers Forum

The Certifiers Forum from 1 to 3 April is a meeting place for independent halal certification bodies and standards development agencies to explore new avenues towards collaborative common ground. 

Academics Forum

To be held 1 to 3 April, the Academics Forum focuses on education, training programmes and modules, the roles of academia, as well as other disciplines relevant to the global halal industry. 

Business Forum

The significance of the Islamic economy is increasingly being highlighted. This Forum, from 1 to 3 April, aims to explore the way forward. According to the organisers, 2013 global figures for the following market segments are substantial:

• Halal food at US$1.3 trillion
• Modest fashion at US$266 billion
• Halal-friendly travel at US$140 billion, excluding Hajj and umrah
• Media and recreation at US$185 billion
• Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics at US$72 billion
• Islamic finance at US$1.66 trillion.

Source: WHS website.

6th JAKIM International Halal Certification Bodies Convention

This closed-door convention on 31 March is hosted by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) will gather all JAKIM-recognised halal certification bodies from around the world to strengthen cordial relationship and exchange opinions on halal certification issues based on the Malaysian Halal Standard.

World Halal Conference

World Halal Conference (WHC) 2015, 1 to 2 April, is engineered towards the creation of new technologies and business opportunities for the halal economy. The two-day conference shares advancements in halal research and their applications in business. 

In addition to the conferences, WHS also features MIHAS, an annual trade fair held every second quarter of the year. The Malaysia International Halal Showcase or MIHAS is an annual trade fair conceptualised to facilitate the sourcing and selling of quality halal products and services globally. MIHAS 2014 saw 463 exhibitors from 30 countries and attracted 18,223 visitors from 65 countries. More than RM200 million of immediate sales is generated annually. MIHAS 2015 will run from 1 to 4 April 2015 at KLCC. 

WHS is hosted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and is organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) and JAKIM with International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) as strategic partners. The event is managed by Shapers Malaysia.

BeoPlay H8 headphones are wireless, touch-enabled, and designed with elegance

Beo Play H8 in argilla bright.

BANG & OLUFSEN have designed wireless headphones that are both elegant and long on battery life. B&O PLAY by BANG & OLUFSEN features an aluminium touch interface and up to 14 hours of battery lifetime with active noise cancellation in a sleek, lightweight design.

BeoPlay H8 on-ear headphones from B&O PLAY by BANG &
OLUFSEN are controlled by gestures on the aluminium-clad ear cup. Taps and swipes can be used to control activities such as answering calls, volume control, track selection or activating active noise cancellation. 

"Combined with the acclaimed Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound, premium materials and the low weight it is not just another headphone on the market, it is simply one the best product of its kind," said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Head of B&O PLAY.
Award-winning Danish industrial designer Jakob Wagner designed the headphones using premium materials such as anodised aluminium, cowhide leather and lambskin. "With BeoPlay H8 we have made something complex simple and easy to use," said Wagner. "It has been a focus of ours to use the right materials in an intelligent way, so you can concentrate on the listening experience while enjoying intuitive usability."

BeoPlay H8 weighs 255g and is available in gray hazel and argilla bright. The S$698 headphones are available at selected EpiCentre, Infinite, iStudio, Nubox & Polaris outlets; AV One, Challenger, Courts, ConnectIT, Digital Style, Harvey Norman, Newstead, Parisilk, Sprint-Cass (Changi Airport T1, T2 & T3), and SoundWaves Studio & Stereo. It can also be obtained online at HipVan and TREOO.COM.

IDB places US$1 billion sukuk issue

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has successfully priced a US$1 billion five-year tranche of sukuk (trust certificates) issued at par with a 1.83% semi-annual profit rate under its US$10 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Program. The sukuk will be listed on the London Stock Exchange, Nasdaq Dubai and Bursa Malaysia under an Exempt Regime.

This is a significant achievement of IDB’s continued efforts in positioning itself closer to its supranational peers through important investor meetings across key hubs of Asia, and Middle East. IDB’s AAA ratings, strong financial position and commitment to support the liquidity of its sukuk, were other major reasons for the placement's success. 

CIMB, Dubai Islamic Bank, GIB Capital, HSBC, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, NCB Capital, Natixis, RHB Islamic Bank and Standard Chartered Bank acted as joint lead managers and joint book-runners, with the Bank of London and Middle East as co-manager.

The issue saw strong participation from investors across the Middle East, Asia and Europe with 50% allocated to MENA, 35% to Asia, and 15% to Europe. Of the issuance, 54% was allocated to central banks, 28% to other banks, 10% to fund managers and 8% to other investor types.

Dr Abdul Aziz Al Hinai, Vice President Finance, IDB, stated: “We hope that the lower cost of funding in spread terms will allow us to extend attractive financing terms to member countries towards meeting their development needs.”

IDB shares financing numbers to date at Global Islamic Investment Gateway

The Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali, has underlined the significance of the Group’s member countries’ accession to and implementation of the convention for promotion, protection and insurance of investments prepared by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that are related to intra-trade and investment.

At the opening ceremony of the 1st Global Islamic Investment Gateway (GIIG) Forum in Manama, Bahrain, in early March, Dr Ali shared that IDB, through its trade financing arm, the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), has offered US$27 billion of financing to foreign trade (export and import) operations in addition to US$29.5 billion of financing provided by IDB itself for promotion of intra-trade prior to the establishment of the ITFC in 2008. He added that the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), IDB’s private sector development arm, has contributed more than US$3 billion of financing to nearly 300 private sector development projects while the IDB’s own total contribution from its Ordinary Capital Resources (OCRs) to support the private sector in member countries stood at US$3.5 billion
for 45 development projects.

The Chairman also mentioned that more than US$23 billion worth of investments and export credits have been insured by the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), which has contributed to the flow of investment projects and helped promote intra-trade amongst member countries.

The 1st GIIG Forum, co-organised by Bahrain’s Economic Development Council, the Islamic Development Bank and Thompson Reuters, was attended by more than a thousand businessmen and investors representing more than 700 firms and banking institutions. 

Food and bio-industry conference in Brunei this May

Source: Brunei Darussalam government.

The two-day International Food and Bio-Industry Investment Conference will be held in Brunei Darussalam in May 2015 as part of the Sultanate's Brunei BioInnovation Corridor's (BIC) initiative. The conference and the BIC initiative are in line with the nation's intention to achieve further diversification, competitiveness and sustainability of the economy.

Source: Brunei Darussalam government. Aerial view, BIC.

Hosted by the government of Brunei Darussalam, the conference will align with BIC's purpose to promote Brunei Darussalam as a regional hub for bio-industry research and innovations, with a focus on halal food products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and logistics. Delegates will include senior government officials; business executives, investors, as well as high-profile speakers from around the globe. Topics of discussion are to cover economic opportunities in addition to in-depth bio-innovation.

Source: Brunei Darussalam government. BIC masterplan.

"The BIC spans an area of approximately 500 hectares, and will attract investment in research and development, manufacturing, and commercial industries. It is an additional sector that will strengthen the economy," said His Majesty The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on the occasion of HM's 68th birthday.

The BIC, in the Brunei Muara District, is an initiative led by the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources of Brunei Darussalam. The BIC is a mixed use environment able to accommodate research and innovative technology applications. It is anticipated to provide up to 28,000 full time employment positions, in which 9,500 roles would be related to food processing. 

Discussions are in progress for developing Phase 1 (37 hectares of land to be subdivided into 25 plots) with investors. Approximately 30% or up to 195 hectares of land is earmarked for industrial usage, and 25% of land will be allocated for green space. 

Khaleeji Commercial Bank backs BIBF Dealing Room

Source: BIBF.

Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB), an Islamic bank in Bahrain, has donated 5,000 Bahraini dinars in support of the BIBF Dealing Room, the first educational training facility of its kind in the region. The Dealing Room was launched in October 2014 as part of BIBF’s strategy to enhance industry training by providing technology-enabled experiential learning.

Said Khalil Al Meer, Chief Executive Officer of KHCB: "Supporting the growth of the sector is central to KHCB’s strategy and the availability of a facility of this nature is a milestone in the development of both the local and regional financial industry; one that will benefit employees and organisations alike.”

Dr Al Shaikh welcomed the support BIBF received from financial institutions in the interest of enhancing human capital development, and added that the bank’s support would significantly contribute to strengthening not only dealing room operations, but also the development of training programmes.

BIBF’s dealing room allows students to learn about trading stocks and bonds in a real life environment. The facility includes twenty two trading stations that are fully equipped with market tools that link with Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters Eikon.

Suppliers needed to execute on Arab Women's Enterprise Fund projects

A networking event for potential suppliers which can deliver on the Arab Women's Enterprise Fund (AWEF) programme has been set for March 18 for Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).

The 10 million-pound fund aims to empower poor women in Egypt, Jordan and the OPTs, increase their income and well-being and ultimately improving their livelihoods and growth opportunities. The programme will do this by increasing their participation in markets through working with market actors to encourage the adoption of new practices and also by addressing constraints in the enabling environment. 

The UK Department for International Development (DFID) will work with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) which will contribute an additional 10 million pounds in shari'ah-compliant concessionary finance through financial intermediaries. The tender for DFID's half of the programme is available at the DFID Supplier Portal. 

The AWEF Supplier Networking Google Site  is now live. Those interested to join can email roopa-hinton@dfid.gov.uk. More information on the networking event is available from m-sansour@dfid.gov.uk.