Ottawa, Canada, July 5, 2026.
As part of the “Halaqah Across America and Canada with Madam Ani” series, the Dompet Dhuafa USA team accompanied Murniati Mukhlisin—known as Madam Ani—to deliver a seminar on the topics of Zakat (obligatory almsgiving), Waqf (endowment), and Islamic inheritance laws.
The event was attended by 50 participants from Syiar Montreal and the Indonesian Muslim Study Group (Pengajian Muslim Indonesia) in Ottawa, comprising professionals, businesspeople, and students. Mariam Rahmania, wife of the Indonesian Ambassador to Canada, was also in attendance. In his opening remarks, Minister Counsellor Rezak Akbar Nasrun outlined various activities undertaken by the Indonesian community in Ottawa and the surrounding areas, such as the Indonesian cultural performances held during the recent Canada Day celebrations. Meanwhile, Sitti Sahro Locke, Executive Director of Dompet Dhuafa USA, invited attendees to support the organization’s ongoing humanitarian programs and Islamic guidance initiatives for new converts.
Madam Ani explained that the true impact of zakat is felt by the person fulfilling the obligation, rather than solely benefiting the poor and needy. “Our wealth is not 97.5 percent [of the total], but 100 percent; therefore, *zakat* does not diminish one’s wealth, as it is something that ought to be distributed. Remember, *zakat* is the right of others, yet its most significant impact is that it allows us to attain blessings and inner peace,” said Madam Ani, who was hosting an educational gathering in Canada for the third time.
Madam Ani is set to travel to several locations, including Montreal, Kingston, and Toronto, before heading to the United States to visit Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., Florida, and Baltimore. In addition to conducting these study sessions, Madam Ani who is also a professor at Tazkia University is a part of the steering committees holding the 2026 International Islamic Economics and Finance Conference for Sustainable Development (IFESDC) at the World Bank in Washington D.C., in collaboration with IMAAM, Tazkia, Sakinah Finance, and EDS16.
Source: Sakinah Finance Public Relations
