Habib Umar bin Hafiz Explores Cooperation with Muhammadiyah to Help Palestinians

A prominent scholar from Tarim, Yemen, Habib Umar bin Hafiz, is exploring cooperation with Muhammadiyah’s Central Board to help the Palestinian people. The collaboration under discussion includes support for Quran activities at Al-Aqsa Mosque and access to education for students in Gaza affected by the war.

The exploratory discussions took place on Monday (12 October 2026), when Habib Umar and a delegation from the Majelis Muwasholah Ulama Muslimin visited the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s office. The delegation was received by Muhammadiyah Central Board officials led by its chairman, Anwar Abbas.

Also attending were Dr Imam Ad-Daruqutni, head of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Institute for Wisdom and Public Policy (LHKP); Dr Saiful Bahri; Dr M. Choirin; and Ustaz Fahmi Salim of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Tabligh Council.

At the meeting, the two sides discussed potential cooperation in Islamic education, preaching and humanitarian work. Palestine was a key concern, particularly the needs of communities affected by conflict as they seek to sustain social life and ensure continuity in education for younger generations.

Habib Umar stressed that concern for the suffering of the Palestinian people was part of the Muslim community’s fraternal responsibility. He said solidarity should be expressed through prayer, the trustworthy distribution of aid and practical programmes that address the needs of affected communities.

One potential collaboration proposed was support for Quran study circles at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The programme, run under the auspices of Waqf Al-Musthafa, aims to complete the recitation of the Quran 12,000 times each month.

The programme also involves residents of Baitul Maqdis, who receive assistance to help meet their living costs. This support is intended to strengthen the local community’s social resilience while sustaining religious activities around Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Under the proposed arrangement, Muhammadiyah could sponsor or endow funds for one or more study circles. The supported groups could also use the name of the Muhammadiyah organisation as a mark of its institutional contribution.

In addition to the Al-Aqsa programme, Habib Umar and the delegation proposed distance-learning cooperation for students in Gaza. Developed in partnership with institutions and universities in Jordan, the initiative aims to help Palestinians maintain access to education amid the effects of war.