Tag Archives: Indian Muslims of Kerala

Assam’s Ahmed Ali, Who Opened 9 Schools, Nominated for News18 Rising India Real Heroes of 2023

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Khilorband (Patharkandi Village, Karimganj District), ASSAM:

By establishing nine schools with the money collected from driving an autorickshaw, Ali has helped bridge the gap between education and poverty in his community.

Ali started the first school in 1978 in his village Madhurband. (Photo: News18)

Ahmed Ali, from Assam’s Karimganj district, is a true inspiration for many, especially those who are determined to make a positive difference in their communities. Despite facing financial challenges, the 87-year-old decided to take matters into his own hands and established schools in his village to provide education to underprivileged children.

By establishing nine schools with the money collected from driving an autorickshaw, Ali has helped bridge the gap between education and poverty in his community. He understands that education is the key to unlocking opportunities and breaking the cycle of poverty. His schools offer affordable education to students who would otherwise not have access to it.

He is a resident of Khilorband, a marginal village of Patharkandi in the Indian state of Assam, bordering Bangladesh. Ali started the first school in 1978 in his village Madhurband. He sold some of his land and donated a part of the land to the school, on which it was built. Out of his 36 bigha land, he donated 32 bigha land for the construction of the school. Funding of the school is also done from its deposits, daily earnings and donations.

His high School was set up in 1990. In addition to it, he also established three lower secondary schools, five secondary schools and one higher secondary school. He hopes to establish a college in the future.

Besides donating his own land for the schools’ construction, Ali also works hard to keep them running. He drives a rickshaw during the day to earn a living, and at night, he cuts wood to help maintain the school’s finances. His dedication and hard work have made a significant impact on the education of many children in his community.

Ahmed Ali’s work has not gone unnoticed. He was nominated for the News18 Rising India Real Heroes Award in the education category, and he will be conferred with the award at the News18 Rising India Summit at the Taj Palace Hotel in New Delhi on March 30.

His story has been shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat,’ inspiring many others to take action in their own communities. Narendra Modi said, “I have come to know that a rickshaw puller named Ahmed Ali of Assam’s Karimganj district has opened nine schools for the education of poor children. It is a beautiful manifestation of the will of the people of our country.” Ali was also invited to Delhi as a speaker by an NGO Jookto.

source: http://www.news18.com / News 18 / Home> India / by Akhi Das, edited by Jessica Nani / March 29th, 2023

Zach Faizal’s Peec Mobility, BEEAH, SRTIP forge partnership for sustainable mobility in Sharjah

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KERALA / Mangaluru, KARNATAKA / Dubai , U.A.E:

In a groundbreaking move toward sustainable transportation, BEEAH has officially entered into a strategic partnership with Peec Mobility and the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

The collaboration aims to revolutionize local electric vehicle production by repurposing end-of-life petrol vehicles, fostering recycling practices to support a circular economy, and driving research and skill development in the burgeoning field of sustainable mobility.

The partnership agreement, signed at the BEEAH Headquarters, saw the participation of key figures, including Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the American University of Sharjah and Chairperson of SRTIP; Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH; Zach Faizal, Founder of Peec Mobility; and HE Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTIP.

Zach Faizal’s brainchild, Peec Mobility, has been at the forefront of innovation since its inception in 2022. The Dubai-based startup specializes in the repurposing of retired petrol vehicles, seamlessly transforming them into electric vehicles with a remarkable 30% cost reduction and an 80% decrease in manufacturing time compared to the production of new electric vehicles.

Faizal, a 24-year-old entrepreneur, envisions Peec Mobility’s technology as a game-changer for the region. He emphasizes that their re-engineering process offers a more cost-effective, quicker, and environmentally friendly transition to electric mobility than investing in entirely new electric vehicles.

“Today, re-engineering is quicker, smoother, and greener than buying new EVs, and proves cost-efficient,” Faizal stated during the announcement. “Peec’s vehicles are aimed to be priced at 30 per cent to 50 per cent lower with the volumes we’re looking at, thus solving the affordability challenge in the sector,” he added.

Peec Mobility’s focus extends beyond individual cars, with ambitious plans to repurpose entire fleets of ICE buses, cars, and trucks on UAE roads. Faizal believes in the efficacy of reusing existing vehicles, stating that “waste is minimized, and a new life cycle begins.”

The partnership seeks to support Sharjah’s transition to sustainable mobility while minimizing the environmental impact of the production and repurposing processes. The overarching goal is to contribute to national and global objectives for zero-waste, circularity, sustainable transport, and decarbonization.

Zach Faizal expressed his commitment to the cause, stating, “Conversion is the most pragmatic route to Net-Zero. Once we succeed with our business strategy here, we will take it to other countries to redefine the used-car market.”

As part of the collaboration, Peec Mobility and its partners plan to unveil the first lineup of repurposed mid-sized sedans and buses at the UN Climate Change Conference, showcasing the innovative technology and commitment to sustainable practices.

With the support of the government, Peec Mobility aims to implement the conversion at scale, creating a replicable model not only for the UAE but potentially for other countries. Faizal proposes a policy to repurpose 5.0% of existing vehicles on the road annually for the next seven years, aligning with the UAE’s Net Zero goal.

As of now, Peec Mobility is on track to introduce at least 500 repurposed EVs on Dubai roads by 2024, offering a tangible solution to the affordability challenge associated with electric vehicles.

Zach Faizal is the son of Faizal Kottikollon and Shabana Faizal, a well-known Indian entrepreneur couple based in the UAE. The couple is not only known for their business endeavors but also for their philanthropic contributions.

Shabana hails from Mangaluru in the Karnataka state of India. She is the only daughter of prominent businessman and socio-religious leader Late B Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen who founded the prestigious BA Group of Businesses in Thumbay near Mangaluru.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / December 13th, 2023

Kerala: Veteran Mappilapattu singer Ramla Beegum dies

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kozhikode District, KERALA:

The veteran Maappilapattu singer, Ramla Beegum, passed away at her residence in Kerala’s Kozhikode district on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at the age of 85.

In addition to her renown as a Maapilapaatu singer, Ramla gained fame as a Kathaprasangam artist, captivating audiences with her unique storytelling style that weaved together tales from both Muslim and Hindu cultures.

Her performances graced stages both nationally and internationally.

To this day, Ramla’s Mappilapattu songs and lyrical narratives, such as “Husnul Jamal Badrul Muneer,” continue to captivate the hearts of art enthusiasts. Some of her most cherished renditions included “Aalam Udayon…” and “Iruloka Jayamaniyum…”

Ramla has performed narrations of literary classics such as Kesavadev’s ‘Odayil Ninnu,’ Kalidas’s ‘Shaakuntalam,’ and Kumaran Asan’s ‘Nalini’ on international platforms.

Her exceptional talent has earned her numerous awards, including the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academi Award and the Folklore Academi Award, to name a few.

source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> India / by Maktoob Staff / September 27th, 2023

UAE: Meet the Guinness record-holding Indian father-daughter duo at Sharjah book fair

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Kozhikode, KERALA / Dubai, UAE:

20-year-old Roshna created the longest cartoon strip measuring 430m, titled ‘The Billion Dollar Journey’ honouring businessman MA Yusuff Ali

Father and daughter duo M Dileef and Roshna M. Photo: Nasreen Abdulla

The ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) houses two record-breaking installations — tucked away in Hall 7, the world’s largest screwdriver is displayed and right next to it is the world’s longest cartoon strip depicting the inspirational story of UAE-based businessman MA Yusuff Ali.

Both of these Guinness world record-holding creations have been made by Indian expat father-daughter duo M Dileef and Roshna M. “It feels great to be exhibiting here,” said 20-year-old Roshna, who broke her own record for the longest cartoon strip established in 2021 with her latest creation. Measuring 430m, the new strip titled ‘The Billion Dollar Journey’ is stretched across two wheels and can be read by rotating the hand.

On Sunday, the illustrious Indian businessman from Kerala, MA Yusuff Ali, visited the stall and commended Roshan’s efforts.

Roshna’s father, M Dileef, a seasoned record-setter, said this is his third Guinness World Record. “Due to space constraints, I could only put the head of the screwdriver on display,” he said. Completed in March, the tool measures a whooping 6.6m in length. The artist was recently granted a Golden Visa in the UAE.

The longest cartoon strip

The cartoon strip charts the journey of businessman MA Yusuff Ali, from his childhood in a village in Kerala to his meteoric rise as one of the most influential businessmen in the world.

“I have always looked up to him,” she said. “I want to be an entrepreneur; he is my role model, so I wanted to make something to honour him.”

It was in 2021 that Roshna set her first world record with a cartoon strip measuring 404 metres in collaboration with Global Village. This year, she has broken that record. According to the youngster, who recently graduated with a bachelor’s in fine arts, making this strip took her 8 months, five months of which was just for research.

“I had a team of six classmates,” she said. “We had decided that we wanted to do something to make our mark, and this is the idea we came up with. They helped me in the entire research process and aided me when drawing the cartoon strip as well.”

The graduate now dreams of pursuing a master’s degree in Europe and hopes to raise funds for her education with her artwork.

Largest screwdriver

The masterpiece by Dileef was first displayed at World Art Dubai in March of this year. “I wanted to pay tribute to the working-class population in the city,” he said. “No other country has honoured and valued the contribution of the working class like the UAE has. So many lives were transformed because of Dubai. This piece was a homage to that.”

Made out of mahagony wood and mild steel, the screwdriver was constructed in Dubai. The handle, which has a diameter of 70cm, also has storage space for knickknacks.

Dileef has earlier set two world records- one for curating the world’s longest Quran and another for the largest badminton racket.

www.dileefartgallery.com

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> UAE / by Nasreen Abdulla / November 06th, 2022

UAE: Meet the Indian who is travelling from Kerala to London on a bicycle

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KERALA :

Fayis Ashraf Ali, who is currently in the Emirates for a pit stop, says one of his biggest dreams is to meet his hero Sheikh Hamdan

Thirty-four-year-old Fayis Ashraf Ali, a hard-core adventurer, has embarked on a big solo mission: To travel around 35 countries in 450 days — on a bicycle.

From the south Indian state of Kerala, Ali is biking his way to London to cover 30,000km. After departing Thiruvananthapuram on August 15 — where state Education Minister V Sivankutty flagged off his journey — he arrived in the UAE via Oman on September 27.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ali said he entered the UAE through Ras Al Khaimah and cycled through Khor Fakkan and Fujairah to arrive in Ajman.

“I will cycle to Sharjah, spend some time there attending events and then head on to Dubai and Abu Dhabi before crossing into Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The cyclist plans to spend 24 days in the Emirates, the third destination on his list. Here’s a photo of him in Khor Fakkan:

Hoping to meet his hero Sheikh Hamdan

In the UAE, Ali has only one hope – to meet the Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“He is my hero. I draw so much inspiration from his adventurous personality. I sincerely hope to meet him before I depart for Saudi Arabia,” he said.

After his UAE pit stop, he will be moving to Saudi Arabia, where he will cycle across the country for two months.

“I hope to go to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, and visit every place in Saudi Arabia, where I worked for four years with Wipro before leaving my job,” said Ali, an electrical engineer who has kept aside his professional goal to cycle worldwide.

From Saudi Arabia, he will travel to Qatar, and Bahrain, return to Saudi Arabia then head to Kuwait.

“From there. I will go to Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey and enter Europe through Greece. I plan to ride across 22 countries in Europe and hope to reach London in 2023,” he said.

This is not Ali’s first long journey on his bicycle. In 2019, he cycled from Kozhikode to Singapore in 104 days, covering more than 8,000km. He pedalled through Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia during that time.

No support crew, no hotel bookings

Going on this adventure — without any support crew — is not a spur-of-the-moment decision for the cyclist. In fact, it took him over a year and a half to plan the solo journey.

“I am travelling alone as this is being done on a budget. I am staying with people I meet during my travels. I have not booked rooms in hotels or lodges,” said Ali.

For example, in Khor Fakkan, Ali stayed with some cafeteria workers across the police station.

“I coincidentally went into the cafeteria to eat some food and told them about my journey. They invited me to stay with them for the night,” he said. “Since I am a Rotary Club member, I stayed in some of the club locations in India. I am hoping to find similar support in Europe. If not, I will sleep in a tent, a mosque, or whichever place that will have me for the night,” he said.

The Rotary Club, Norka-Roots, Malayalam Mission, Kerala Tourism and the Kerala Hearts Foundation are supporting the endeavour.

He rides on a Surly Disk Trucker Cycle, sponsored by UAE-based travel and luggage accessories company ParaJohn. Dubai- based Emirates First is also lending some financial assistance to him.

On his bicycle, he carries four bags filled with clothes, a battery pack, dried fruits, tools, and a GPS tracker. He rides only in the mornings.

What inspired Ali to take up this adventure?

Ali left his job as a networking engineer in 2016 to take care of his father who was suffering from a cardiac ailment.

“I got into the habit of cycling around that time. I got my cycle when my father was in the ICU. Unfortunately, a week later, my father died,” said Ali. He believes cycling would strengthen one’s heart.

Ali is cycling to raise awareness about heart health, world peace, health care, zero carbon emission and zero drugs. He is married to dentist Dr Asmin Fayis and a father to two boys, Fahzin Omar and Izin Nahel.

“My wife supports me in every way possible. She is the one who plans my itinerary and posts on social media. She helps me immensely with the paperwork needed for such a journey. She does all this while taking care of our kids and is an assistant professor at the Coorg Institute for Dental Sciences. She is a superwoman,” he said.

Ali says that to make extraordinary achievements, one has to make several sacrifices. “I do not want to go back to work, and I want to achieve something extraordinary before I depart from this world,” he stated.

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> World> UAE / by Dhanusha Gokulam / September 29th, 2022

Kerala: League of Islamic Universities ‘Climate Summit’ concludes on positive notes

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Green Products, Leaders, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kozhikode, KERALA:

League of Islamic Universities launches climate action on campuses
Dr. Osama Al-Abed, secretary-general of the League of Islamic Universities, signs the Malabar Declaration on climate action in Kozhikode, India, on Oct. 20. (Photo courtesy: LIU)

On October 27, the ‘Malaibar Declaration for Climate Action’ held by the League of Islamic Universities based in Cairo and Jamia Markaz Kozhikode in Markaz Knowledge City concluded.

Members including 200 universities from 60 countries, were present at Jamia Markaz, an Islamic university in Kozhikode, Kerala, for the International Climate Action Summit which was held between October 17-20.

Dr. Osama Al-Abed, secretary general of the league, opened the event by urging global stakeholders to use fresh approaches to combat climate change because the globe is currently “facing challenges that are structurally different from the past.”

As a consequence of talks on many facets of the main issue, Dr. Al Abdu and Muhammed Abdul Hakim Azhari, the rector of Jamia Markaz, jointly made the following declaration: The Partnership of University Leadership in Mitigating the Climate Change.

The declaration includes a request for environmental science to be taught in member universities’ curricula, for financial and human resources to be set aside for research into tackling climate challenges, as well as for new technology to be developed for the same.

“We thought that the real community who has to work on climate change is students. In every country, if the universities go for some course on climate then the future generation would be working on climate change,” Jamia Markaz rector Dr. Abdul Hakeem Al-Kandi told reporters.

“Students, who are the future leaders, when they are getting aware of climate change, (they) will impact the whole world.” he said.

Al-Kandi stated that the league would create an environmental studies centre in Calicut, India.

The goal of the university league’s activity, according to environmentalist and Markaz Law College principal Dr. C. Abdul Samad, who organised the summit, was to engage community members in various societies and make them stakeholders in saving the environment.

“Introducing environmental science courses in universities is important as the young leaders need to be educated to think about nature and climate change, and its impact,” he said.

“It is the new generation that can preserve the diversity of nature and respect the environment. The whole idea is to save the planet for the future,” he further stated.

At the summit, 63 research papers on diverse facets of the main issue were presented. A hundred trees were planted on the Knowledge City Campus by university leaders as part of Jamia Markaz’s afforestation programme and in support of the summit.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Environment> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Staff / October 27th, 2022

Kerala family in UAE makes world’s largest screw art piece

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KERALA, INDIA / Abu Dhabi, UAE :

The art was created with plywood sheets, screws, and spray paint. It is constructed of 20 frames and three lakh screws. The installation weighs 460 kilogrammes, is 444 centimetres tall, and is 555 centimetres wide.

Giant screw art piece featuring the UAE’s ‘Spirit of the Union’ picture, as well as the Expo 2020 Dubai emblem.

An Indian family in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has created a giant screw art piece featuring the UAE’s ‘Spirit of the Union’ picture, as well as the Expo 2020 Dubai emblem. The three lakh screw art piece has been inscribed in the Arabian Book of World Records as the world’s largest screw art.

According to Gulf News, EA. Sirajudheen, a 45-year-old and his 39-year-old wife Badariya, both from Kerala, chose to make the massive art piece as a homage to the UAE on its 50th National Day.

Sirajudheen was a former aeronautical engineer who transitioned to business after moving to the UAE 24 years ago and is now the owner of Brightway Tyres and Auto Service in Abu Dhabi.

The art was created with plywood sheets, screws, and spray paint. It is constructed of 20 frames and three lakh screws. The installation weighs 460 kilogrammes, is 444 centimetres tall, and is 555 centimetres wide.

According to the couple, the Guinness World Record was for a piece of art that used 250,000 screws. They said that they first utilised sticker printouts of the photos to adhere to various portions of the boards, and then used hand drills to repair the screw. After being spray-painted with black, red, green, and gold paints, the boards were assembled to form the full-frame.

The couple has two children, 14-year-old Shehzaz and 11-year-old Zia, who helped their parents in the massive screw art. The family finished the project in one month.

Zenith Wheel Alignment, the art piece, is now on show at the Abu Dhabi Malayali Samajam in Musaffah, after the National Day exhibition. The duo stated that they wanted to show their artwork to a larger audience at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Kerala / by News Desk – Sumaya Junaid Ahmed / January 07th, 2022

All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) fetes Malabar Gold and Diamonds for being 6th largest jewellery group in world

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Kozhikode, KERALA :

The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) felicitated Malabar Gold and Diamonds on being selected as the 6th largest jewellery group in the world, taking the Indian brand to the world stage.

M P Ahammed, chairman, Malabar Group, O Asher, managing director – India Operations, Malabar Gold & Diamonds and A K Nishad, director, B2B and Manufacturing (India), Malabar Gold & Diamonds received the award from the Ashish Pethe, chairman, GJC in presence of Saiyam Mehra, vice chairman, GJC, Nilesh Sobhawat and Sunil Podar, directors, GJC at an event held in Mumbai.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Media Release (headline edited) / September 27th, 2022

Dubai: Apple CEO Tim Cook sends email to Indian girl who developed iOS app

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), NRI's / PIO's, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA / Dubai, U.A.E :

Hana (left) and Tim Cook (Photo: Gulf News)

The idea for creating the app came to Hana while watching a documentary about the importance of the parent-child relationship.

Abu Dhabi:

A 9-year-old Dubai-based Indian girl who developed an iOS app receives appreciation from Apple CEO Tim Cook for her achievement at such a young age.

Hana Muhammad Rafeeq had initially emailed Tim Cook claiming to be the youngest iOS developer.

In his reply, Tim Cook wrote to her “Congratulations on all of your impressive achievements at such a young age. Keep at it and you will do amazing things in the future.”

Hana Muhammad Rafeeq, when she was 8-year-old developed ‘Hanas’— storytelling app, which allows parents to record stories in their voices for their kids, Hana handwrote more than 10,000 lines of code.

The idea for creating the app came to Hana while watching a documentary about the importance of the parent-child relationship. “If the parents are busy with work, they can record the stories so that the children can listen to them before bed,” Hana told Gulf News.

source: youtube.com / Hanas iOS Mobile App preview

Hana and her 10-year-old sister Leena are both self-taught coders who got inspired by their parents.

As per reports, sisters are now experts in coding languages HTML, CSS, C, C++, Swift and the latest SwiftUI. They are also learning human languages English, Spanish German, Arabic, Hindi and Malayalam.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Middle East / by Sakina Fatima / September 24th, 2022

Muslim institutes bring empowerment to a coastal village in Kerala

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Edavarakad Village (Vypin Island) Ernakulam District, KERALA :

Photo Courtesy: Muhammed Shahabas

Muslims of Edavanakad in Vypin island of Kerala have set a vibrant example of empowerment by building community institutions that provide education, and interest-free loans to local farmers. 

Kerala :

Edavanakad is a village in Vypin Island of Ernakulam district in Kerala. Surrounded by the Arabian sea and Vembanadu lake, the main livelihoods of the people here is fishing and agriculture. Muslims, Ezhavas, Arayas, and Latin Christians constitute the major communities of the place. Traditionally engaged in fish trade and agriculture, Muslims have set examples of community empowerment through various institutions.

Empowerment through education
Hidayathul Islam primary school was run by one Vadakkeveettil Muhammed Haji, where children are taught modern education and Islamic principles. 

Currently, a school and a madrasa are being run from the village. “After their primary education, teenagers had to go to the outskirts of the town to obtain higher education. It was far for them. This became a big concern for the elders in the town, and they decided to do something about it,” said Mahin PM, a local activist. 

Irshadul Muslimeen Sabha [IMS] was established in 1850 to administer the madrasa. Later in 1922, Hidayathul Islam Primary School also came under IMS. Thus, the school and madrasa system came under one body and devised a comprehensive syllabus to provide religious and secular education. In 1979 the school got the status of a high school, and by 2000, it became Hidayathul Islam Higher Secondary School [HIHSS].

Mahin, the editor of the school’s jubilee souvenir, believes HIHSS sets the best example in the state for an effective model of success in public education. “Students from different backward communities study here. The school has continuously maintained a 100% success rate in the examinations.” Mahin said. 

He said that IMS was active during relief activities after the 2004 tsunami that hit the coastal community. “Muslim traders came forward to open the gates of institutions and competed to help the affected as much as possible. Those were days that reflected the place’s fraternity,” he recalled.

Effective redistribution of wealth
Zakat, a form of almsgiving in Islam, is considered obligatory for Muslims. Muslims in Edavanakad used to give the zakat in a dispersed manner. Many didn’t participate in it because of a lack of awareness of its importance. “It was Ali Kunju Mash who changed this situation by establishing an institution to distribute the zakat,” said Mahin. 

Kunju, who came to Hidayathul Islam school as its headmaster, wanted to structurize the zakat distribution system. With the help of two other people KM Abdulla and PA Muhammed, he founded Al-lajnathul Islamiyathu Li-baithulmaal [AIL] in 1983.

AIL is the state’s first centralized community wealth redistribution system. “After Ramadan, we open applications to provide support for self-employment using the remaining zakat share. We also offer monthly scholarships to students and a weekly ration for widows,” said a committee member.

Towards a moral economy
The people of Edavakannad, primarily farmers and fishers, depended on loans with heavy interest rates from moneylenders. The fluctuations in produce resulted in them falling into a debt trap. Understanding the pressing need to provide an alternative, five youths Abdussamad MK, Mahin PM, Aboobacker, Illyas, Rasheed, and Umar Khayyoom decided to form an interest-free credit society. In 1999, they invited people from the community to a general body meeting and presented their Islamic microfinance scheme. 

Abdussamad, one of the founders, narrated how they convinced people to pool one rupee daily. “In this way, Islamic Welfare Fund got formed, and we approved its first loan of 3000 rupees to buy a boat and fishing net,” he said.

“We don’t work like ordinary credit societies. We form our working capital by pooling small amounts from every member. There will be a collective responsibility, and it becomes everyone’s duty to ensure the repayment of loans,” Abdussamad said. 

The financing schemes provided by IWF do not promote consumerism in any way. They approve loans to the needy only after conducting a detailed investigation into the case, and one of the members will have to stand as a guarantee.

IWF’s activities have grown into many areas now. “Our headquarters facilitates an entrance coaching centre for applicants from minority communities to public services (PSC), and the nodal centre of the PM Foundation provides necessary information regarding educational scholarships,” one of the board members said.

Basil Islam is an independent journalist and researcher based in South India. He tweets at @baasiie

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Lead Story / by Basil Islam, TwoCircles.net / July 14th, 2022