Taobao organises first Raya sale in Malaysia

Source: Taobao Malaysia Instagram page. Duit Raya is up for grabs on Wednesdays in March.

Taobao Malaysia is ushering in its first-ever sales campaign dedicated to the Ramadhan and Raya season. Running throughout March, the month-long campaign features promotions, daily free shipping vouchers, and curated festive essentials.

Following the successful introduction of its English interface in September last year, Taobao Malaysia continues its commitment to making the platform more accessible to local users with tailored shopping solutions and promotions via the Raya campaign.

Jess Lew, Country Head of Taobao Malaysia said: "We are thrilled to celebrate one of our country's biggest festive moments together with our first-ever Raya campaign. We have prepared an abundance of promotions to make it easier and more rewarding for our customers to shop for their festive needs. With the successful implementation of the English interface, we can further enhance the shopping experience, ensuring that everyone can easily access the Taobao platform and shop effortlessly."

The Last Call Raya Sale will be held from 23 to 31 March.

On top of these shoppers have the chance to grab a limited-time offer, and an RMB35 voucher (equivalent to RM21) to enjoy free shipping with no minimum spend required during this promotion period. For first-time Taobao shoppers, deals for as low as RMB1 (equivalent to RM0.62) are up for grabs. 

Taobao Malaysia is also introducing the Spend & Win Duit Raya promotion. Shoppers stand a chance to win up to RMB50 (equivalent to RM30) in duit Raya every Wednesday in March at 12 pm when they make a purchase, with 100 winners per day. The duit Raya will be in the form of a cashback amount, and equivalent to the amount shoppers spend, capped at RMB50 (equivalent to RM30).

"We hope to build a more holistic shopping environment with the promise of delivering our biggest promotion in Malaysia ever. We believe Malaysians will be able to save more and enjoy more this festive season," said Lew.

Explore

The Taobao app is available to download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play. 

Watch the associated video at https://www.tiktok.com/@taobao.malaysia/video/7478181353075313927

*Platform rules will prevail over the specific promotion details.

Wego to work with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority

Wego, the travel app and the online travel marketplace, has partnered with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) to spotlight the Kingdom of Bahrain as a premier travel destination, highlighting its unique cultural heritage, top attractions, and tourism innovations to global travellers. This partnership comes as Bahrain is investing in its tourism infrastructure with the launch of new luxury resorts, event venues, and expanded cultural festivals.

Bahrain, known as the Pearl of the Gulf, is an archipelago offering history, luxury, and modernity. Wego will leverage its platform to highlight Bahrain's landmarks, including the UNESCO-listed Qal'at al-Bahrain (قلعة البحرين, Bahrain Fort), the Bab Al Bahrain Souq (باب البحرين), the Al Dar Islands (الجزر الدار), and the world-famous Bahrain International Circuit, home of Formula 1 racing.

Source: Wego. View of Bahrain.

Mamoun Hmidan, Chief Business Officer at Wego said: "We are thrilled to collaborate with the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority to showcase the Kingdom's unique offerings to our global audience. Bahrain is a treasure trove of cultural, natural, and modern attractions, and through this partnership, we aim to inspire travellers to explore this dynamic destination."

Travellers will also be introduced to Bahrain's tourism initiatives, such as virtual tours and smart city solutions enhancing visitor convenience. Additionally, Bahrain's commitment to ecotourism is evident in its focus on preserving natural habitats like the unique Hawar Islands (جزر حوار) and offering experiences such as pearl diving and marine conservation tours.

Maryam Toorani Director, Marketing and Promotion at Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority added: "This partnership with Wego allows us to reach thousands of travellers and highlight Bahrain as a must-visit destination. From its historical landmarks to its forward-thinking tourism innovations, Bahrain has something to offer every type of traveller."

IQ Option introduces Islamic account for Android users

Source: IQ Option. Poster for the new Islamic account.

IQ Option, the online trading platform, has introduced Islamic accounts to its Android users. IQ Option's new feature aims to cater to the needs of Muslim traders, who were previously excluded from the trading market due to religious restrictions.

The IQ Option Islamic account has a one-time fixed fee and features halal stocks for trading. Traders can extend their positions to the next trading day for free. Traditionally, this would have required an overnight commission or swap fee, which is considered usury and prohibited by shari'ah law.

Islamic account users also have access to 21 halal stocks. These are shares of companies that do not sell alcohol and tobacco, as well as companies known in the Islamic world and traded on Islamic exchanges.

IQ Option's Islamic account has a one-time commission of US$1. According to IQ Option, competitors require traders to make a large deposit to open an account.

All IQ Option Islamic account holders are assigned a personal account manager, a feature previously reserved only for VIP account holders.

Traders can get an Islamic account on their own without contacting support. Registration must be done with a desktop PC, after which traders can use the account from any Android device.

Details

For those new to IQ Option:

1. Register a standard account on the IQ Option website. You will only need your email.

2. Log in with your email and password and click on your profile icon.

3. Tap the Islamic account activation link.

4. Deposit US$10 or an equivalent in your account currency.

5. The Islamic account will go live soon after, ready for trading on the IQ Option platform.

If you already have an IQ Option account:

1. Log in with your email and password and click on your profile icon.

2. Tap the Islamic account activation link.

3. Make sure you have at least US$1 on your account balance.

As with standard IQ Option accounts, Islamic accounts are also available in regular and VIP tiers. VIP accounts are available to traders who deposit US$3,000+.

The Islamic accounts are available for traders from 20 countries. In the APME region, Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, KSA, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen are supported.

Maybank expects more duit Raya to be given online

Maybank has forecast a spike in online festive giving in Malaysia via its platform this year.

Datuk Hamirullah Boorhan, Maybank’s Head of Community Financial Services Malaysia says that the bank is expecting a 30% rise in the volume of eDuit Raya transactions performed, and projects more than RM33 million worth of eDuit Raya being sent amongst family and friends. Duit Raya are gifts of cash given to children in paper envelopes during Eid al-Fitr (Hari Raya Aidilfitri) visits by those who are older.

He added that eDuit Raya has gained much popularity since its launch in 2015. “Over the years,
we have been enhancing the eDuit Raya feature which has contributed to its strong acceptance.
After the Raya QR was introduced in 2018, the transaction volume grew by more than 10 times
while transaction value almost doubled. We continued to see exponential growth in 2019 with more
than 700,000 transactions for eDuit Raya,” he said.
The eDuit Raya can be given in two ways – via Raya QR on the Maybank2u App - a peer-to-peer transaction method whereby the giver scans the receiver's QR code - or via a phone number using the
MAE e-wallet in the Maybank2u App. It is open to all, including non-Maybank customers, who can
sign up for MAE from the Maybank2u App fully online, and start using the feature immediately. MAE is the first and only shari'ah-compliant e-wallet in Malaysia.

Datuk Hamirullah also announced that as an added convenience this year, the bank has expanded
the list of zakat bodies collecting zakat fitrah online. QRPay Zakat Fitrah services will enable customers to fulfil their obligations this Ramadhan via Maybank2u and Maybank QRPay securely and conveniently. With these cashless options, he projected that zakat fitrah payments via Maybank would grow by more than 100% in 2020.

“The convenience in having the eDuit Raya and zakat fitrah online services is particularly significant this year as we have to observe social distancing, crowd control and limit travelling while celebrating this festivity,” he said.

“But as the spirit of giving is important and encouraged during the holy month of Ramadhan and Hari Raya, we want to enable our customers to fulfil their obligations of paying zakat, and keep the tradition of giving duit Raya to their loved ones despite the constraints. With Maybank2u, we can continue to share our blessings and help the less fortunate while prioritising safety.”

Zakat fitrah can be paid online via the Maybank2u website while customers who prefer to use the
QRPay Zakat Fitrah only need to scan the QR code on the respective state zakat board’s websites to
make payment through their Maybank2u App. Currently, 10 State zakat bodies accept payments via
Maybank2u – Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, Perak, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu and
Wilayah Persekutuan - while Penang, Wilayah Persekutuan, Sarawak and Perak are also able to
accept payment via QRPay.

Maybank is also rewarding customers through the Raya Paling Gempak (RPG) campaign with prizes worth up to RM2 million. During the campaign period, customers can also donate to the less fortunate customers via Maybank2u website and app. Additionally, Maybank2u App users can choose to donate the cash rewards they receive from campaign initiatives to the MaybankHeart’s People’s Campaign, which aims to raise funds for at risk communities during the COVID-19 outbreak. This feature was first introduced in 2019 and raised over RM600,000 in donations for the less fortunate during the various festive seasons last year.

Zakat fitrah is an obligation on a Muslim and his dependents such as his wife, children who have not reached maturity, and parents. The person should possess more assets than he and his dependents need on Eid al-Fitr. If he is unable to pay zakat fitrah, the dependents may pay on it for themselves and on his behalf. For those who fast, it redresses sins that occurred during fasting. The money is given to the needy.

Agoda, KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah MoU to benefit pilgrims

Source: PRNewsfoto/Agoda. Agoda and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sign MoU to achieve Vision 2030 goal of 30 million pilgrims. The agreement was signed on 3 December, 2018 by HE Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, the KSA minister of Hajj and Umrah (right) in the presence of Damien Pfirsch, VP Strategic Partnerships & Programs Agoda.

Agoda, the online travel agents (OTA), and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in KSA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) supporting the KSA Vision 2030 goal to increase its capacity to over 30 million pilgrims by utilising Agoda's technology and travel expertise, marketing platform capabilities, intelligence tools and resources.


There is now a dedicated Agoda portal to access selected hotels that have been certified by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for umrah visitors and pilgrim bookings. Pilgrims can easily find an array of accommodation options and securely book through the multilingual and multicurrency portal.

Under the MoU, the first to be signed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah with a global OTA, the parties will explore how together they will redefine the future of travel for pilgrims from across the world to the kingdom, working in collaboration to help to build future services including guest flow and booking accommodation.

The MoU will leverage the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's knowledge and understanding of the needs of pilgrims to the holy cities and Agoda's technology expertise, to enable the partners to explore ways to use technology to manage the anticipated increase in guests to KSA and make accommodation reservations more accessible, easier, faster and secure.

John Brown, CEO, Agoda, said: "With Agoda's expertise in accommodation and travel services, global distribution services, e-marketing and digital branding we want to be a key partner helping them to achieve their goals of accommodating 30 million umrah and Hajj guests to the kingdom."

According to Vision 2030, which was announced in 2016, the last decade has seen the number of umrah visitors and pilgrims entering the country from abroad treble. Pilgrimages play a significant role in KSA's tourism industry, with the government aiming to grow this sector to 15 million Hajj and umrah visitors annually by 2020, and 30 million by 2030.

Headquartered in Singapore, Agoda is part of Booking Holdings and employs more than 3,700 staff across 53 cities in more than 30 countries. Agoda.com and the Agoda mobile app are available in 38 languages.

Go digital for halal travel, but don't forget the human element

From left: Nisha (moderator), Neollene, Sarangi and Kuwadekar.

There is a digital aspect to every part of the consumer journey for halal travel, but the personal touch remains important. This was a key takeaway from a panel titled Going Digital: How Online Has Shaped Muslim Travel Behavior at the Halal in Travel Asia Summit, which had the theme Innovation & Technology in the Muslim Travel Space.

"If the world sees there is money in it, it'll all fall into place automatically," said Shinjan Sarangi, Head of Business Development, Halaltrip and CrescentRating.

Sarangi said Muslims had been missing the halal element from travel prior to the advent of digital halal travel specialists such as Halaltrip. "They were compromising on that, struggling to find relevant content," he said. "We ensure that all of them are aware that you don't have to compromise."

Halaltrip, which has rated a number of destinations in terms of their Muslim friendliness, wants to make sure that Muslim travellers are "exposed to all the options", Shinjan said. "You don't have to restrict your options to just Malaysia or the Middle East or Turkey," he said. "The minute that you can offer the consumer something that is meant just for them, you have their attention, you're looking at a loyal stream of customers."

Nisha Abu Bakar, Founder, Elevated Consultancy & Training, noted that there is still very little awareness in the travel and tourism space about the clout of the Muslim traveller, let alone how to support halal travel.

"The 1^st thing is the knowledge - it's just not there," she said. "When you start talking numbers.. then people start to buy the idea and say they are receptive to it."

The Mastercard-Halal Trip Digital Muslim Travel Report (DMTR) 2018 was released at the event, and revealed that online travel expenditure by Muslim travellers will exceed US$180 billion by 2026.

Nisha added that it is important to stress that minor, incremental changes may be needed. "It's like not a (full) prayer room, just a clean space for prayer... when you break it down then the industry becomes more receptive to say 'tell us a bit more'," she said.

Content sourced online

Neollene Ain, Filmmaker, Photographer and digital Muslim travel influencer known for her Instagram outreach at @neollene, said that she would research itineraries online. "The first thing is to find halal food. Some travellers need a proper place to pray, they look for a mosque, a prayer room... sometimes we can find other (places) to pray, just a proper place, like a clean room to pray," she said.

"We are searching for Muslim-friendly hotels that can provide halal food for breakfast, other travellers are looking a rest room that is Muslim-friendly, for example some of them are looking for a bidet in the restroom."

Safer payments

Devesh Kuwadekar, VP, Market Development, Mastercard, said the digital nature of travel now means that stakeholders must embrace mobile payments. "It's important to understand that people now look at your smartphone not as a computer but as a purchasing device. Every device can be used to make purchases," he said. "It's important that consumers can make a payment that is safe and secure. People want customised options. People want safety and security, and we are there to help them."

Human element

Sarangi added that the role of travel influencers and reviewers is very important. "There first needs to be information about the place. I need somebody to go there, (whom) I look up to and is driving the decision on whether to go there," he said.

"Hopefully there will be enough Neollenes for people to see, that they have set the tone to say 'it is safe, I have been there'."

Wider ecosystem

Kuwadekar noted that the halal travel discussion is focused on hotels and airlines, food and beverage; but there are other players in the ecosystem. "We're missing a lot on the airports, the duty free operators which are part of the journey," he said. "There could be possibly a trinity of airlines, airports, and hotels who work together to address the Muslim travellers because that's a complete journey."

Sarangi believes that the touchpoint for Muslim travellers will always remain travel agents. "When it is a niche market with specific requirements you'll go to people who understand," he said. "We go to travel agents because they understand our needs better."

On Neollene's wishlist is a platform where Muslim travellers around the world can connect with local Muslims at their travel destinations. "How can I find a local friend who can help me travel and find a place to eat? In my Instagram I can connect with a lot of people around the world. I ask my followers (if we can meet). It would be nice (to) connect on that platform," she said.

The US$180 billion Muslim travel market was a key segment at October's ITB Asia 2018, which hosted the Summit. A new Muslim Travel Hub and Pavilion was launched at the show to field discussions on halal travel and feature exhibitors that offer related travel products and services respectively.

By 2020, it is expected that there will be 156 million Muslim travellers, growing nearly 30%
since 2016*.

Hashtags: #halalintravel, #itbasia2018

*https://ecommerceiq.asia/halal-travel-industry-millennials/consumer mega brands

The changing face of travel

Bahardeen (left) and Rafat (right). 

A fireside chat between Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating and HalalTrip and Rafat Ali, CEO and Founder, Skift at the Halal-In-Travel Asia Summit touched on how travel agents have evolved.

Rafat noted that retail travel agents are "pretty much gone" in the US, with companies retreating into sectors where travel is complex, such as for cruises, or luxury travel.  "Nobody buys an airline ticket through them any more, they buy experiences," he said. 

"The mindset of 'I need choices, guide me to pick the right choices, let me figure out my own way', is cutting across a large swathe of (generations). Baby boomers are the fastest-growing part of people who do book AirBnBs, and the largest part of people who rent out their houses. It is changing quite a bit," he said.

He observed that Millennials are independent and prefer to bypass travel agents, but that the attitude is spilling over into other demographics. "The Millennial mindset is a mindset that is growing across diff generations. Don't get hung up on a single demographic - even Millennials aren't a single demographic. 

KSA has projected that it can accept 15 million umrah pilgrims by 2020.

He noted that when it comes to Hajj and umrah, a big proportion of people may be travelling for the first time. "None of the marketing for any travel brand ever talks about the first-time traveller," Rafat pointed out.

"The human touch is important," he said.

Asked if Skift will focus on Muslim travel, Rafat said no. The publication does cover CrescentRating reports, but he draws the line at "creating separate lanes". He explained that the editorial stance is global and that his personal philosophy is that Muslims should exist within the larger society. 

"We should travel as normal human beings carrying our normal identities but we don't ask (for special treatment) – I can figure out my own way," he said.

"Let's integrate into the larger world and hence have a larger platform for what we can discuss in Muslim world."

Rafat also said that Muslims can adopt multiple 'skins'. "In a Muslim country we can turn on our ma sha Allah, in sha Allah, whatever. In a non-Muslim country a large part of us can do what they do for a large part," he said.

Hashtags: #halalintravel, #itbasia2018

Millennial and Gen Z Muslim travellers are driving a US$180 billion online travel market

Source: CrescentRating website. Cover for the
Mastercard-CrescentRating Digital Muslim
Travel Report 2018.

The increasing reliance by Muslim Millennials and Generation (Gen) Z* on the Internet, social media and smartphones for discovering new travel destinations and then booking trips is driving a significant revenues for the travel industry.

In 2017, CrescentRating found that Muslim Millennials rely very heavily on social media and online reviews for travel; travel two to five times annually, and look for halal food and prayer tools online - behaviours condensed into the pillars accessibility, affordability and authenticity.

"This year continue the discussion and fully understand their journey not just from the Millennial point of view, but also zoom out and really understand the profiles of Millennial travellers in general," Raudha Zaini, Marketing Manager, HalalTrip and CrescentRating said.

Unveiled at the Halal-In-Travel Asia Summit, the Mastercard-CrescentRating Digital Muslim Travel Report 2018 (DMTR2018) has revealed what shapes the growth of online purchases by the next generation of Muslim travellers. The research projects that online travel expenditure by Muslim travellers will exceed US$180 billion by 2026.

The DMTR2018 is the first comprehensive report looking at the online travel patterns and attitudes of Muslim travellers across different demographic groups. It extends the research on the digital Muslim traveller population, expanding beyond the Muslim Millennial traveller (MMT) segment which was studied last year in the Muslim Millennial Travel Report 2017, and also analyses travellers along the continuum of strictly practising, "less practising" and practising travellers.

Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating and HalalTrip, said “The DMTR2018 reveals important online behaviour and preferences of Muslim travellers. It will equip tourism destinations, tour operators, airlines and other tourism and hospitality stakeholders with insights of online platforms and social networking services to evaluate the potential within the Muslim market.

“With the rapid proliferation of enabling online technologies and payment methods and the rise of Muslim digital natives, as a major segment within the Muslim travel market, the outlook for the digital space is very positive. Destinations need to ensure that their messages reach Muslim travellers through online channels. This report gives the industry a practical and ready segmentation criterion to empathise with different demographics. Digital is real and transcends generations.”

Key takeaways from the DMTR2018 included:

- Digital is real and transcends generations

Different generations are using digital, though they behave differently, Zaini said.

- Content is key.

"You have to focus on all segments, and not just Muslim Millennial travellers," Zaini noted. 

- A mix of online platforms are used per product or service journey

"The impact on business is that you need to be agile enough to appropriately display your content, be it desktop or mobile, and be smart enough to understand what users are looking for," she said.

Devesh Kuwadekar, VP, Market Development, Mastercard, noted that 2018 marks the fourth year of Mastercard's partnership with CrescentRating. He said, “The halal travel market continues to be one of the fastest growing travel segments globally, with Muslim visitor arrivals representing about 10% of the entire travel industry globally in 2017. Muslim travellers are spending more time online researching and comparing information before they finally choose and pay for their ideal travel experience.

"Mastercard works with likeminded partners to create tailored offerings for customers across a wide range of passion points. As consumers explore more countries and regions, Mastercard is also seeing an increase in the use of cashless and digital payments through prepaid and debit options as a safer, more convenient and reliable form of electronic payments for greater peace of mind when travelling.”

"We are collaborating with banks and others to create a safer experience across all touch points," he added.

Online travel purchases will be worth US$180 billion in 2026.

Muslim Millennials go online to plan their trips, accounting for 40% of all Muslim traveller transactions, but Gen X and Gen Z as well as Baby Boomers (listed as Others) are also digital users.

The Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2018, released in April this year, confirmed that the Muslim travel market will continue its fast-paced growth to reach US$220 billion in 2020 and US$300 billion by 2026. In 2017, there was an estimated 131 million Muslim visitor arrivals globally. CrescentRating research indicates that more than 60% of Muslim travellers were either Millennials or Gen Z.

The GMTI 2018 found that 30 Muslim outbound markets** represent 90% of the overall Muslim visitor arrivals and should be the focus of the travel industry. This study looked at the “digitally enabled” environment of these markets to understand the potential of digital transactions. These destinations have been divided into distinctive clusters based on the market size and digital access.

Cluster A Large outbound markets with a high level of digital enablement	KSA Malaysia UAE	These are regions with large Muslim populations and high per-capita GDP, allowing a high percentage of travellers to travel internationally. The majority of the residents in these countries are digital-savvy and have the latest digital infrastructures.
Cluster B High level of digital enablement but smaller outbound markets	OIC countries Kuwait Qatar Lebanon Tunisia Azerbaijan Kazakhstan Non-OIC countries UK Germany France Singapore Russia	These are countries with residents who are digital-savvy and have the latest digital landscapes but their populations are smaller in comparison to those in Cluster A.
Cluster C Good level of digital enablement but smaller outbound markets	Oman Albania Morocco China	They have good digital infrastructures but the population of Muslim travellers travelling internationally is still small.
Cluster D Emerging growth markets with fast-growing levels of digital enablement	Turkey Indonesia Egypt Iran	These are majority Muslim countries with a growing outbound travel market. Even though they may not have widespread digital infrastructures yet, businesses can look at these markets for medium-to-long term prospects.

Bahardeen noted that while the markets are diverse, the travellers share values of a common faith and identify as Muslims. That said, they come from different locations, speak multiple languages and dialects, and have differences in cultural lifestyle, plus varying degrees of halal consciousness.

"It is not a homogeneous market. You really have to get an understanding of each of those markets," he said, adding that someone from a more secular country who goes to a strict Muslim country may become stricter during a trip, and vice versa, so there cannot be hard and fast rules on hospitality. 

"We have to look at different ways of catering to them," he said.

Explore:

Read the Mastercard-CrescentRating Digital Muslim Travel Report 2018 report 

Hashtags: #halalintravel, #itbasia2018

*According to CrescentRating, baby boomers are classed as those born between 1946 and 1964; Generation or Gen Xers were born between 1965 and 1980; Millennials from 1981 to 1996, while Gen Zers were born from 1997 onwards.

**Outbound refers to people from one country going to travel overseas. Inbound refers to the opposite, people from other countries travelling to a particular country.

UAE's Awqaf shares website visit details for 2016

The UAE General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) has reported that its website has attracted more than 7,855,727 visitors in 2016, an estimated increase of more than 45% compared to 2015, when the website recorded around 5.4 million visits. The achievement comes on the heels of the initiative of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, to support m-government and innovation.

According to statistics issued by Awqaf's IT department, fatwa (فتوى) topped the list of preferred services, registering and increase of 55% in the number of visits, followed by Friday sermons and prayer timings. The statistics also revealed that visitors to the website came from 217 countries around the world.

Dr Mohammed Matar al Kaabi, Awqaf's Chairman said, "This significant rise in the number of visitors to the website is due to many reasons, including credibility and public trust in the moderate religious discourse adhered to by the UAE, which is the state of tolerance, moderation and respect of peoples' cultures and civilisations, this being the essence of authenticity and modernity."

"Another factor lies in the regular update of the website's content in both Arabic and English and addition of new electronic services that ensured users quick and effective access, and allows positive interaction with the users through multiple channels of communication."

In early January, Awqaf disclosed that its Official Fatwa Centre has answered more than 2.8 million queries since its inception. Some 2.4 million were answered over the phone, 282,000 via an SMS service, and over 64,000 queries were answered on Awqaf's website. All responses are archived and can be accessed online.

Dr al Kaabi noted that the centre was set up to enhance the practice of religious fatwa reference in the UAE, and is manned by trusted muftis (مفتي‎‎, an Islamic scholar qualified to provide authoritative opinions in the Islamic context, or fatwas) and scholars who are known for their moderate and tolerant approach as well as high academic qualifications. He added that the centre is now a reliable point of reference for religious queries from the public. "This is because religious fatwas are meant to offer a jurisprudential point of view, clarifying all its relevant terminologies, principles and objective. Such a task can only be done by scholar who are versed in Islamic fiqh (فقه‎‎, or Islamic jurisprudence)," Dr al Kaabi said.

The Official Fatwa Centre's muftis answer the public's queries in Arabic, English and Urdu. A group fatwa mechanism is followed to combat one-sided opinions. To achieve this, the centre offers a fatwa consultation service in addition to the possibility of referring a query to another mufti. A mufti can also avoid answering a query about which they do not have sufficient knowledge and mark it for the centre's supervisor to call the fatwa seeker and answer his/her query.

Emirates, Google offer discounted Arabic e-books for October

Source: Emirates; Emirates and Google are encouraging a love for Arabic literature this October.

Emirates Airline and Google are Celebrating Arabic Reading through October in a collaboration to reach millions of smartphone users in the region, and support the UAE’s Year of Reading, a national initiative spearheaded by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The aim of the UAE’s Year of Reading is to nurture an entire generation of lifelong readers, and ensure the groundwork is in place to support the country’s knowledge economy goals.

The mission of the Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative is to make Arabic books more accessible for first-time online book readers and book lovers alike with unprecedented discounts of up to 90% off on online books at the Google Play Books store, which hosts more than 5 million titles.

Discounts are valid across nine countries in the Google Play Store (both in IOS and Android) for: the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. This is the first such online book initiative, and the first discount of this scale in the region at the Google Play Store.

For a four-week period, Google will run its highest ever discount on the Play Books store on more than 4,000 popular fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles in an effort to reach millions of smartphone users in the Middle East and GCC.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group commented on Emirates’ partnership with Google: “Books can stimulate, inform, touch minds and hearts, and open up a world of possibilities for readers. As founding sponsors of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, we are staunch supporters of the written word.

Our Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative with Google aims to encourage more people to read, and try out Arabic e-books. Smartphones and tablets are increasingly a part of our daily lives, so it makes perfect sense to promote reading on these new platforms as well. People are hungry for content, especially Arabic digital content, and there isn’t a smarter investment for the future of this region than providing access to e-books to broaden the horizons of millions.”

Ronan Harris, VP for Large Customer Sales for Google Europe Middle East and Africa said: “Technology has always played a pivotal role in providing people with equal access to information, and empowering them with knowledge. That’s something we’re very passionate about at Google and it’s in line with our core mission here in MENA to help promote and preserve local Arabic content on the web whether it was on YouTube, Search, Maps or Play. Through our collaboration with Emirates, we hope we can make Arabic literature more accessible and enjoyable than ever. There is so much opportunity to build the digital ecosystem here and we’re happy to have partners like Emirates make it happen.”

To showcase the best of Arabic content, Emirates also commissioned the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and the Emirates Literature Foundation to help identify and curate a collection of over 50 Arabic books in the Google Play Books store that will be discounted at 90% off. This curated book collection encompasses a wide variety of bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles such as Rua Falsafia Fel Hekam Wal Forousia and Tell You About My Tribe, as well as children's e-books like Creatures on the Ceiling, Altghrayib Al-Bilaliyah and I Love. 

 Emirates actively supports and sponsors a number of educational and cultural initiatives in the UAE, including the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which last year attracted over 40,000 participants, 170 writers, thinkers and speakers from 35 countries. The airline also supports literature through its extensive audio-book section on the Emirates entertainment system, ice, as well as engaging author interviews on Emirates World, a popular channel on ice. In addition, Emirates SkyCargo recently carried almost 8 tonnes of books to different parts of the world to support reading.

Internet connectivity and mobile technology has helped cut the information divide in the Arab world. More people than ever own or have access to a digital device, whether it is a tablet, mobile phone or laptop. According to the Mobile Economy Arab States 2015 Report, over 200 million people across the region are subscribed to a mobile device, presenting a unique opportunity to deliver e-book and educational content.

The UAE 2021 Vision and National Agenda includes a direct emphasis on Arabic language literacy. Data from 2014 shows that just under 60% of students are currently at this level in the UAE. By 2021, the UAE is targeting that 90% of students have proficient Arabic literacy skills.

According to UNESCO research, 67% of adults living in Arab States have basic literacy skills, compared to a global average of 82%, underscoring the need for developing local, relevant Arabic content on the web which is central to information knowledge sharing.

Interested?

To find your favourite Arabic book on the Google Play Store

Hashtag: #YearOfReading

ADIB revamps Internet banking

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has launched a new version of its Internet banking platform to create a more convenient customer experience. The new service has been redesigned based on customer feedback.

The aim is to make it easier for current and new customers to digitally access products and services while catering to the needs of the growing number of customers utilising digital banking services. ADIB has seen a rapid growth in customers using digital channels lead by mobile devices. Users of ADIB's digital banking channels more than doubled in the last 12 months while smartphone transactions increased by 73% in the first half of the year.

The main feature of the new service is a more intuitive user experience. ADIB customers will now benefit from a user-friendly digital banking service, which will let them meet more of their banking needs online and execute faster transactions. The website's look and feel is aligned with other channels such as ATMs and mobile app thus providing customers with the same experience across all digital touch points. The new digital platform is compatible with tablets, smartphones and desktops, providing customers with the ability to interact with the bank using their preferred device as well as the ability ot manage all of their personal profiles from one single sign-on.

Philip King, Head of Retail Banking, ADIB said: "Our research and dialogue with users through social media shows that consumers seek digital banking services that are easy and simple to use with features that fit the 'multiscreen' lifestyle as they access their bank using different devices. For this reason, we introduced a new design approach that revolutionises online banking and makes it very easy to use for everyone. This is part of ADIB's digital innovation programme which will include launches of several major new customer offerings over the next 12 months."

The dual language banking platform can be accessed via a single sign-on service that combines security with ease of use, and includes safety features such as a card management tool that will allow customers to block cards that have been lost or stolen. The upgrade is seamless: customers can access the website from different devices without the need to install new software, and current users of ADIB online banking services can use their existing access name and password to sign in.

Interested?

The new service is accessible via ADIB's homepage

Qatar Islamic Bank enables online purchases of Travel Takaful plan

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has introduced online purchases for the Travel Takaful plan, underwritten by Damaan Islamic Insurance Company (Beema) and distributed by QIB.

With the new functionality, QIB’s customers can conveniently purchase the Travel Takaful plan through the Bank’s website  using their debit or credit card, at any time, from the comfort of their home or office.

The multi-trip Travel Takaful plan provides travel benefits such as compensation in case of lost/delayed baggage, delay in departures, or in the event of lost passports, National IDs and driving licences.A key benefit is the coverage of medical expenses incurred abroad, including hospital and surgical costs, dental emergencies, as well as other emergencies and needs that can occur when travelling.

“The shari'ah-compliant Travel Takaful plans are developed and constantly improved as part of our continued commitment to ensure that our customers’ needs are recognised and supported at all times considering that they are traveling frequently throughout the year,” said D. Anand, GM, QIB’s Personal Banking Group. “With the new instant online purchase functionality, customers don’t need to visit a branch to take out a policy, but can do so from their home or office. This simplified approach reflects our dedication to providing the highest quality service and convenience to our customers.”

Browse Flow's Raya Collection 2016

Source: Flow eDM.

FLOW, the Malaysia fashion label, has introduced a Raya collection with the signature silhouettes and embellishments that it is known for.

The collection features a number of brightly coloured long-sleeved and three-quarter sleeved tops and dresses, and bold prints. There are also two pairs of pants. The is a black front twist overlap blouse (S$56.30) and a fuchsia long-sleeved overlap blouse (S$46.30) are the most intriguing pieces in the collection. 

The short-sleeved kaftan (S$63) and border print palazzo pants (S$66.30, modelled in picture) are the only pieces designed to match in the collection.

According to the website, FLOW's founders introduced the label for curvy women whose fashion options were usually a "sack-like excuse for clothing". "A few more inches in our bust or hips shouldn’t mean we lose all shape in the clothes we wear. On the contrary our curves are more defined and so our fashion should be more structured," the brand states. "Clothing that allows us to express who we are under the surface."

The company offers comfortable apparel ranging from casual and contemporary to evening and seasonal wear, in a selection of sizes from US10 to US18. Shipping is free.

Alchemiya offers uplifting content for Muslims on streaming platform

The Alchemiya streaming service is offering a limited promotion to watch its content for three months for a small fee. Alchemiya currently has over 50 films, documentaries and lifestyle programmes on offer, with new content added regularly. The films are streamed over the Internet onto connected devices like phones and laptops, and not downloaded.

According to Alchemiya's founders, there is also little content for a Muslim audience, which is "young, well-educated, politically aware and socially conscious". The platform presents uplifting content and a side of Muslims and Islam that is widely unknown.

"There is a lot of misinformation and lack of understanding about our faith. It is our intention to create content that breaks down negative stereotypes and makes people reconsider their views," the company states on its website.

Alchemiya will also support creatives producing Muslim-related content by giving them paid commissions and promoting their work. "We are also on the hunt for the next generation," the founders said.

Interested?

Watch the trailer for Islam in Color

Alchemiya costs US$160 for 24 months. Take advantage of the three-month limited time offer

Visit Muslima, the online exhibition reflecting the thoughts of contemporary Muslim women

Source: Muslima website.

Muslima: Muslim Women’s Art & Voices, a global online exhibition from the International Museum of Women, which has since merged with the Global Fund for Women. 

Muslima presents a groundbreaking collection of thought pieces and artwork from contemporary Muslim women who are defining their own identities and, in the process, shattering stereotypes, covering topics such as: 
breaking stereotypes,
appearance, 
change, 
connection,
faith,
generations, 
leadership, 
myths, and 
power.

Muslima debuted online in March 2013 and ran through December 2013, with new art and stories added regularly over the months it was active. The exhibition will remain up and available for viewing online indefinitely. Sections include:

Art gallery, which includes individual art and photography pieces created by Muslim women and artists around the globe
Featured voices, which presents long-form pieces that feature the voices of thought leaders, artists, and activists working to make a difference in the world for Muslim women
Muslima stories, a collaborative multimedia project that presents the stories of Muslim women in words and images

Interested?

Download the Muslima Discussion Toolkit, which is designed to help facilitate conversation, better understanding, and actions between diverse communities

Browse Archaeological Survey of India exhibits online

Source: Google Cultural Institute. A 360-degree exploration of the Taj Mahal is available at the Archaeological Survey of India minisite at the Google Cultural Institute.

The Archaeological Survey of India is part of the Google Cultural Institute, enabling Internet users to view historical photographs of various landmarks online, including photographs of the Taj Mahal from the late 1800s up to the present day, views of various mosques, including the Qutubuddin Mosque and the Moti Masjid, and several perspectives of Humayun's Tomb.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture of India, is the premier organisation for archaeological research and the protection of the nation's cultural heritage.

Interested?

Visit the Archaeological Survey of India at the Google Cultural Institute, including the 360 degree museum views of the Taj Mahal

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the al Sabah Collection at the Google Cultural Institute

View the al Sabah Collection at the Google Cultural Institute

Source: al Sabah Collection, from the Google Cultural Institute. Captioned. 'Inscribed Royal Gemstone, 1,001 AD'. Rectangular emerald stone, w3.35 x h2.92 cm, inscribed with seven lines of 'naskhi' script from the Quran (2:255). View this item online.

The al Sabah Collection, regarded by international authorities as one of a small handful of the most comprehensive collections of Islamic art in the world.  has 48 items available for viewing online via the Google Cultural Institute.

The Collection was begun in 1975 when Sheikh Nasser Sabah al Ahmed al Sabah purchased a mid-14th century enamelled glass bottle from a London art gallery. Curated by Sheikh Nasser and his wife Sheikha Hussah Sabah al Salem al Sabah, the Collection was moved in 1983 from Sheikh Nasser’s private residence to a new location at the Kuwait National Museum. The building became known as Dar al Athar al Islamiyyah (DAI), and Sheikha Hussah became the organisation’s Director General. Since its inception in 1983, DAI has diversified from managing the loan of the al Sabah Collection of art from the Islamic world to the State of Kuwait to becoming an internationally-recognised cultural organisation.

The Collection has now grown to more than 30,000 objects representing the full geographic and chronological range of the Islamic world, from Spain to China, from the 7th to 19th centuries. It features all aspects of art, including arms and armour, calligraphy, carpets and textiles, ceramics, coins, ivory, jewellery, extraordinary manuscripts and miniatures, metalwork, scientific instruments, stone and stucco, wood and glass. The Collection actively publishes volumes focused on its holdings, organises special exhibitions, and loans objects to exhibitions elsewhere in the world.

Interested?

View the Suroor Asia blog post on the Google Cultural Institute and the Aan Collection

Medgulf Takaful allies with Copart Bahrain to reach wider audience

Medgulf Takaful, an insurance company in Bahrain, has signed an agreement with Copart Bahrain to streamline salvage sales processing.

Copart is a global online auto auction company, specialising in salvage disposal for insurance and takaful companies by using its VB3 auction technology, which brings together potential buyers from across the globe, therefore exposing a seller's assets to a wider audience and improving transparency and competition for the vehicles.

Nader Saeed Al Mandeel, CEO of Medgulf Takaful commented, "Using Copart's vast experience, technology and operations knowledge, we aim to improve the process and achieve higher returns and improvements to our motor portfolio."

Carlos Sabugueiro, CEO of Copart in the Middle East and Africa added, "It is an honour to be adding Medgulf Takaful to our panel of vehicle suppliers here in Bahrain. Our auctions every Sunday are growing in strength and scale. This helps all our suppliers of vehicles as the buyer network continues to increase daily, with regular bidders being seen from all over the GCC."

Virtual Collection of Asian Masterpieces adds more masterpieces, highlights Silk Road

The Virtual Collection of Asian Masterpieces (VCM) has grown by five members in the past year, it was revealed at the annual meeting of the Trustees of the VCM at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore on 19 and 20 November, 2015.

Jointly led by Jos Takema, Project Manager of the National Museum of World Cultures in the Netherlands and Yun Hye Chung of the National Museum of Korea, the VCM now boasts 135 member museums from 35 countries and 183 new masterpieces for a total of 2,514 available online.

In December, the VCM introduced a new highlight on the Silk Road. A dedicated Silk Road button on the VCM Search for Masterpiec es page provides instant access to relevant masterpieces. Pictured is a folio from an 8th century large Quran from the collection of the Asian Civilisations Museum (copyright Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore), which turned up during the search. 

According to the VCM, the museum acquired this folio in 1999. It is likely from a monumental Quran in Tashkent, Uzbekistan attributed to the Caliph Uthman (reign 644 to 656) and might have been carried along the Silk Route. The item has been carbon-dated, and there is a 68% probability of a date between 640 and 705 and 95% probability of a date between 595 and 855. 

The VCM website development is sponsored by NAVER, Korea's top search portal. The VCM also began new social media initiatives on Facebook and Instagram this year.

The VCM was originally a project of ASEMUS - the Asia Europe Museum Network. It features online versions of masterpieces of Asian origin from the collections of contributing museums to promote mutual understanding and appreciation between peoples of various and different cultures. Each museum contributes a selection of 25 masterpieces from their own collections.

Etihad Airways enables payment for flights to be collected from homes in Abu Dhabi

Guests now have access to more choices when making bookings on Etihad Airways’ website following the recent introduction of new online payment services.

The airline’s guests in the UAE can now book flights or ancillary services conveniently using Pay@home’s online payment option and have the cash collected from their nominated location within 24 hours.

Etihad Airways is the first airline in the Middle East to offer Pay@home, in cooperation with its payment partner, Payfort, which manages cash collection on behalf of the airline.

Pay@home offers a cash payment method enabling collection from homes - still a preferred payment option for many customers in the region.

Justin Warby, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Direct Sales, said: “In selecting additional payment methods for our guests, we took a very local approach. We wanted to give options which catered for the needs of our guests. The addition of Pay@home will make a significant difference to online bookings.

“With Pay@home, we now offer our guests in the UAE greater choice and flexibility when it comes to paying for the tickets they have booked online. This is part of our commitment to our guests to improve our service offering continuously.”

Interested?

Booking online can be done at www.etihad.com. When filling in the payment details, guests can choose “Home Cash Collection” as the payment method. Once they complete booking, guests will be contacted to confirm the address they have specified and a suitable time for the collection of payment. Courier teams will collect the payments and provide a receipt upon payment.

Pay@home purchases are available only if the reservation is made at least 48 hours before the flight’s departure and the payment is made within 24 hours at the location and time agreed for the collection. Fare price and availability may change or guests can request for the reservation to be cancelled.

The new payment options are only available for UAE Dirham (AED) transactions and for flights departing from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Future plans include expanding the Pay@home offering to other strategic markets of Etihad Airways.