By Ibrahim Abdul Mugis
President, Awqaf Africa
Moderator, Plenary Session 5 — WZWF Kuching 2025

The 14th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and International Conference on Zakat and Waqf, organised by the World Zakat and Waqf Forum (WZWF) in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, from 13th to 16th October 2025, marked a turning point in the global conversation on Islamic Social Finance.

Gathering regulators, scholars, and innovators from across continents, the event explored how Zakat and Waqf — two ancient Islamic instruments of compassion and justice — can be redefined for modern governance, sustainability, and digital transformation.

For Awqaf Africa, this moment was more than participation; it was a reaffirmation of our mission to transform the African Islamic social finance landscape — guided by Maqasid al-Shariah and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

🎥 Watch Highlights from the Kuching Conference: https://youtu.be/xuy4XSxG_bQ?si=jFlitL5NgQV5d6-o

🕌 Rebuilding Trust: Moderating Plenary Session 5

As moderator of Plenary Session 5, titled “Trust Under Siege: Redefining Integrity, Transparency, and Governance of Zakat and Waqf,” I had the honour of guiding one of the conference’s most critical conversations.

The panel confronted a vital question:

“How can Zakat and Waqf institutions regain and sustain trust in an age of scrutiny, data, and digital transparency?”

Key takeaways included:

– Clear governance distinction — separating management from the governing board to strengthen accountability.
– Ethical technology adoption — using AI and blockchain as trust infrastructure, not merely operational tools.
– Open data and impact reporting — ensuring transparency in collection, disbursement, and long-term outcomes.
– Global cooperation — encouraging institutions to learn across borders, not operate in silos.

In closing, I reminded delegates:
“Trust is the moral currency of Islamic social finance. With trust, even a single ringgit becomes a spark for transformation.”

🌟 Baitulmal Sarawak: A Model of Leadership, Governance, and Innovation for Africa

The leadership approach, governance, and innovation practiced by Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak have now become an example and source of inspiration for several African nations seeking to strengthen their zakat and waqf management systems.

The visit of delegates from the World Zakat and Waqf Forum (WZWF) representing Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, and Tanzania to the Baitulmal Sarawak Headquarters in Kuching served as a platform for sharing strategies on how Sarawak successfully elevated the zakat and waqf institutions as instruments of household economic development.

WZWF Deputy Secretary-General Muhammad Lawal Maidoki stated that Baitulmal Sarawak’s experience demonstrates the effectiveness of good governance and visionary leadership in managing Islamic resources for the benefit of the people.

“InsyaAllah, we will change our system. Where it did not exist, or where we were afraid to develop Baitulmal, today there is no more fear because of the establishment of Baitulmal’s CEO system in Sarawak. We are truly inspired and we appreciate this formation,” he said.

Echoing his sentiment, President of Awqaf Africa, Ibrahim Abdul Mugis, described the rise of Baitulmal Sarawak as a paradigm shift for global zakat and waqf institutions — transforming them from mere fund collection bodies into generators of innovative and sustainable solutions.

“Because it gives a new paradigm for zakat and waqf, and this is something very different. It also takes us from fund collection to generating innovative solutions,” Ibrahim said.

Meanwhile, General Manager of Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak, Datu Abang Mohamad Syibli Abang Mohamad Naili, regarded the visit as recognition of Sarawak’s ability to develop an inclusive and sustainable zakat and waqf management model.

“This is something we take pride in, as they have conducted many studies, inquiries, and visits to other Baitulmals, but they see this as a model they can follow because it has proven to impact both the community and the nation — whether among Muslim-majority or Muslim-minority societies,” he said.

With this international recognition, Sarawak is now seen as having the potential to become a global reference center for strengthening the role of zakat and waqf in building a prosperous and self-reliant society.

العِلمُ يَرفَعُ بَيْتًا لا عِمادَ لَهُ، وَالجَهلُ يَهدِمُ بَيْتَ العِزِّ وَالشَّرَفِ
“Knowledge elevates a house without foundation, while ignorance destroys a house of glory and honor.”

This timeless wisdom captures what we witnessed in Sarawak — how knowledge, governance, and faith combined to elevate an institution into a beacon for the world.

وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
“And say, ‘My Lord, increase me in knowledge.’” — [Surah Taha 20:114]

💡 Key Innovations and Global Insights from WZWF Kuching 2025
(Points 1–8 as before)

🌐 Teaser: The Global WakafTech Conference 2025

Building on the Kuching momentum, Awqaf Africa proudly announces the upcoming:

🕋 Global WakafTech Conference 2025
Theme: “Empowering Faith Through Technology: Building Digital Trust in Waqf and Zakat.”
📅 Date: 11 November 2025
📍 Venue: Menara Felda, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Learn more and register: www.awqafafrica.org

✨ A New Dawn for Africa and the Ummah

“The journey of faith is also a journey of innovation. When trust meets technology, Zakat and Waqf become not just acts of worship — but instruments of transformation.”

Ibrahim Abdul Mugis
President, Awqaf Africa
Moderator, Plenary Session 5 – WZWF Kuching 2025
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia | October 2025