Istiqlal Mosque's 48th Anniversary: IGF Strengthens Collaboration Between Donors and Beneficiaries
Jakarta — Ahsanul Haq, director of Istiqlal Global Fund (IGF), stated that the Istiqlal Mosque’s 48th anniversary marking serves as a momentum to strengthen collaboration between mosque management, donors, and beneficiaries (mustahik).
“We want to optimise the presence of all mosque staff and Istiqlal Mosque servants to be present together to celebrate and enliven this occasion. This is packaged simply, alongside breaking the fast,” said Ahsanul Haq at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Monday.
The 48th anniversary commemoration of the Istiqlal Mosque was arranged by the Istiqlal Mosque Management Board and IGF with Islamic music entertainment, joint prayers, remarks from the Imam Besar of Istiqlal Mosque, and concluded with communal breaking of the fast.
According to him, the activity aimed to unite various elements that add value to the Istiqlal Mosque, particularly donors and beneficiaries.
“Today’s gathering brings together beneficiaries with their donors, waqif with maukuf ’alaih. This is a special moment because the Istiqlal Mosque’s anniversary is held during Ramadhan,” he said.
Besides congregants, the activity was also attended by IGF partners from various industrial sectors. Ahsanul explained that IGF consistently builds partnerships with the corporate sector to present empowerment programmes that have direct impact for congregants.
“This is part of bringing together stakeholders who frequently conduct corporate activities in the Istiqlal Mosque environment, thereby providing wider added value,” he said.
One of IGF’s flagship programmes is productive waqf, which is not only implemented at the Istiqlal Mosque but also at several other mosques in Jakarta.
In partnership with Rekso Group, IGF mentors mosque staff through the Gerobak Wirausaha (Entrepreneurship Cart) Programme, which has been provided to several mosque staff in Jakarta. The programme includes business training and mentoring support.
“Initially they lived from the mosque; now some are able to support their mosques. They can conduct business while waiting for prayer times and still maintain mosque cleanliness,” he said.
The programme has been running for one year and will continue to be developed. Moving forward, IGF will work with companies to design mentoring programmes for mosque staff without families in Jakarta, as well as empowerment for vulnerable groups requiring special support.
Additionally, IGF collaborates with several other companies in mentoring Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM), including product packaging training. IGF is also exploring collaboration with several national Islamic banks to strengthen the ecosystem for community economic empowerment.
Ahsanul stressed that the Istiqlal Mosque’s 48th anniversary commemoration is not merely a ceremony, but rather a momentum to strengthen synergy and sustainability of mosque-based socio-economic programmes.
“The Istiqlal Mosque is not merely a place of worship, but also a centre for community empowerment. Through partnerships and productive waqf, we want to present benefits that are wider and sustainable,” he said.