Indonesia, Malaysia make mosque center of community’s economic engine
By integrating religious values with practical financial assistance, this partnership aims to uplift the livelihoods of micro-entrepreneurs
JAKARTA, Indonesia (MNTV) – A joint economic aid initiative led by The National Board of Zakat (Baznas) of Indonesia and the Malaysian National Cooperative Movement (Angkasa) has been launched at the At-Taqwa Grand Mosque in East Jakarta to provide sustainable financial solutions for local residents, reports RRI.
The project focuses on empowering communities through the Baznas Microfinance Masjid (BMM) program, utilizing the Matraman-based mosque as a model for successful, long-term micro-business support.
By integrating religious values with practical financial assistance, this partnership aims to uplift the livelihoods of micro-entrepreneurs living near the mosque, ensuring they have the tools necessary to achieve lasting economic independence.
“At-Taqwa Grand Mosque is one of Baznas’s partners in the Baznas Microfinance Masjid Program. This interest-free and collateral-free financing is intended to help micro-businesses around the mosque grow and remain sustainable,” said Saidah Sakwan, Baznas RI Commissioner for Distribution and Utilization, in a statement.
Saidah expressed hope that the collaboration with Malaysia’s Angkasa can strengthen the ecosystem for mosque-based community economic empowerment. According to Saidah, mosques function not only as places of worship but also as solution spaces for communities to avoid illegal online loans and harmful informal financial practices.
“We hope that the mosque becomes a place where the community seeks solutions when facing economic difficulties. With support from Angkasa, this program is expected to become even stronger and more impactful,” said Saidah Sakwan.
Angkasa President Abdul Fattah Abdullah said that strengthening mosque-based economies is part of the effort to return the mosque’s function to how it was during the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW, as a center for worship, social, and economic activities.
“The mosque is not only a place to perform mandatory worship but also a center of benefit for the community. Through cooperatives and mosque-based financing, we want to return the mosque to its role as the center of the community’s economic engine,” he said.
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