UNITED STATES – Dompet Dhuafa USA, together with Corps Dai Dompet Dhuafa (Cordofa), has invited Murniati Mukhlisin, an expert in Sharia family finance, as an International Ambassador to the United States to spread Sharia economic literacy in various regions of the United States for 12 days, from October 12—23, 2023. Murniati is also the leader of Sakinah Finance and the former Rector of the Tazkia Islamic Institute.
Sakinah Finance’s PR informed Dompet Dhuafa that Murniati began her preaching activities by conducting a study with the Indonesian community in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday October 14, 2023. The following day, she conducted a similar activity in Austin, Texas, and continued on Monday October 16, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two days later, on Wednesday October 18, 2023, Murniati Mukhlisin had a significant meeting with Shamsi Ali, an Indonesian cleric, along with the entire board of the Al-Hikmah Mosque in New York City. As a female academic, she had the opportunity to be a speaker at the International Sharia Finance Conference in Houston, on October 20—21, discussing the Political Economy of the Halal Industry in Indonesia.
Baca juga: Peduli Kesehatan Mental Pelajar Indonesia Di Amerika Serikat
Then, the series of events concluded with a study session in Houston, Texas, on Sunday October 22, 2023. This valuable opportunity was attended by the Indonesian community, citizens of America, Singapore, Pakistan, and Mexico. Nearly 200 people attended this Islamic study.
Murniati Mukhlisin shared that this preaching experience with Dompet Dhuafa abroad is her third time. The first experience was in several cities in America in 2014 with Dompet Dhuafa USA and ICMI North America. Then, in 2016, she preached in several cities in Australia with Dompet Dhuafa Australia. In addition, an online study was also organized by Dompet Dhuafa Japan for hundreds of nurses and the Indonesian community there.
“The studies I led were themed around financial planning and its relationship to everyday life, linked with Sharia financial products and services, including fintech, expected to increase the level of literacy and inclusion in Sharia economics and finance.”
Baca juga: Zakat sebagai Perekat Antar-Komunitas Muslim di Amerika Serikat
“We also thoroughly discussed the intricacies of ‘joint-ownership’ between husband and wife, ‘mortgage’, differences in zakat, alms, charity, gifts, endowment, and also taxes in America. Each community event, lasting about 5 hours, concluded with discussions and exercises on creating family financial reports and simulations of inheritance, ‘trust funds’, and ‘wills’ between Islamic law and American law,” explained Murniati.
Murniati added that although the development of Sharia finance in America is not very rapid, the Muslim community’s interest in living according to Sharia law and Halal orientation is quite significant. This was revealed in the dialogues that took place during the study. However, some also feel that the Sharia financial solutions offered are still not competitive. For example, the margin on mortgage financing or housing financing is still quite high.
“In the future, I hope not only Dompet Dhuafa but also BAZNAS, Rumah Zakat, Rumah Yatim, LAZISMU, LAZISNU, and others can have zakat collector representatives in other countries. Thus, the collection of zakat, alms, charity, various donations, and endowments from the Indonesian diaspora can be channeled even more to the mustahiq (zakat recipients) in Indonesia,” concluded the graduate of PTIQ Jakarta. (Dompet Dhuafa/THF/Muthohar)