AhlulBayt News Agency: Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, stated that mosques have great potential to foster community self-reliance if managed professionally and collaboratively.
Speaking at the 2025 Madada Fest (Empowered and Impactful Mosque Festival) in Jakarta on Wednesday, Nasaruddin said that empowering mosques and prayer rooms to collectively manage community funds could help Muslims achieve self-sufficiency without relying heavily on external aid.
He encouraged mosques to evolve beyond places of worship and become hubs for economic empowerment and eco-theological awareness.
Nasaruddin described this vision as “ummah management,” a comprehensive governance model that utilizes zakat, waqf, infaq, sadaqah, qurban, fidyah, kafarat, and other social funds to their full potential.
He asserted that with a well-organized system, absolute poverty could be eliminated.
“In the future, basic needs such as staple foods, LPG, and essential services could be met through a community-based economic network directly linked to mosques,” he added.
During the event, the Minister also launched a book titled Islamic Ecotheology, marking a concrete step by the Ministry to integrate economic empowerment with environmental consciousness rooted in religious values.
Director General of Islamic Community Guidance, Abu Rokhmad, said the book launch reflects the Ministry’s commitment to promoting an Islam that serves both humanity and nature.
He emphasized that mosque-based economic empowerment and Islamic ecotheology are interconnected, both aiming to deliver real benefits to society and the planet.
Madada Fest 2025 included various activities, such as a symbolic soft-loan handover ceremony in collaboration with BMM (National Zakat Management Board) and the SIMAS Corner, which provided consultation and mosque registration services.
A key attraction was the Mosque Photo Exhibition, showcasing diverse mosque representations across Indonesia.
The exhibition featured Inclusive Mosques open to all, Heritage Mosques reflecting Islamic history in the archipelago, Model Mosques with modern management, and Empowered Mosques engaged in social, economic, and environmental development.
Visitors also viewed a distribution map of mosques and prayer rooms in Indonesia, based on SIMAS data as of October 7, 2025.
According to the data, 315,740 mosques and 387,819 prayer rooms have been registered nationwide, underscoring their vast potential as centers for Muslim community advancement.
The festival also hosted interactive booths by the Directorate of Islamic Community Guidance, including e-LIPSKI, a digital Islamic library offering free access to thousands of Islamic books, Friday sermons, and religious texts.
The Ministry’s Quran Printing Unit (UPQ) also participated, displaying various Quran editions, including the Standard Indonesian Mushaf and the Sign Language Mushaf for the hearing-impaired.
Minister Nasaruddin concluded that Madada Fest is more than a ceremonial gathering—it is a tangible step toward realizing the Ministry’s vision of transforming mosques into centers of Islamic civilization, economic empowerment, social impact, and environmental stewardship.
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