Baltimore, Maryland, USA, July 19, 2026 — As the concluding event of the “Halaqah Across Canada and USA” program, Dompet Dhuafa USA hosted a Qur’an reflection session featuring Murniati Mukhlisin, widely known as Madam Ani, in Baltimore, Maryland. The event was attended by more than 50 Indonesian diaspora members and their families, including several American spouses who participated in the gathering.
Held at the residence of Indonesian diaspora couple Tomi and Yati, who have built their lives and careers in the United States for many years, the event carried the theme “Building Wealth & Retirement Readiness: Smart Money Strategies for Women, Families, and Small Businesses.” The topic was proposed by Leli Koentjoro, Chairwoman of Diaspora Indonesia Empowering Women Association (DIEWA), who also served as the Chair of the organizing committee.
The event was attended by Ahmad Juwaini, President Director of Dompet Dhuafa Indonesia; Sigit Pambudi, Board Chairman of Dompet Dhuafa USA; Sitti Sahro Locke, Executive Director of Dompet Dhuafa USA; Thomas Locke, Founder of Comfasion USA; and Nina Marliani from Sakinah Finance, Bogor, Indonesia.
Considering the participation of several American spouses who do not speak Indonesian, Madam Ani delivered her Qur’anic reflection in English. She encouraged participants to contemplate four consecutive chapters of the Qur’an: QS Al-Zalzalah, Al-ʿĀdiyāt, Al-Qāriʿah, and At-Takāthur.
Madam Ani explained that these four chapters are closely connected through the use of uslūb al-balāghah (Qur’anic rhetorical style), emphasizing the certainty of the Day of Judgment, accountability before Allah, and the warning against being overly attached to worldly pleasures and material accumulation.
According to Madam Ani, the central message of these chapters is the importance of maintaining a balance between worldly efforts and awareness of ultimate accountability in the Hereafter. In modern life, including business activities and family financial management, every wealth and decision will ultimately be accounted for.
Madam Ani, who holds a PhD in Islamic Accounting from University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, and a doctorate in Qur’anic Studies and Tafsir from PTIQ University Jakarta, emphasized that Islamic business values can be found in the exemplary character of Prophet Muhammad SAW through four key qualities: Ṣiddīq (truthfulness), Amānah (trustworthiness), Faṭānah (wisdom and competence), and Tablīgh (effective communication).
“Many principles promoted by global business experts are actually aligned with these prophetic values. The implementation of faṭānah in business life, for example, can be practiced through proper financial recordkeeping and separating business finances from family finances to support business growth and improve the financial management of spouses, children, and parents,” said Madam Ani.
In the final session, Madam Ani connected the importance of organizing family finances and businesses with Islamic inheritance planning (farā’iḍ). She explained that understanding inheritance distribution from an early stage is an important part of responsible family financial management.
One participant named Fin shared her experience of calculating her own family inheritance for the first time. Using the method explained during the session, she was able to complete the calculation within minutes.
“This is my first time to do this calculation and it is that simple,” said Fin, who applied the calculation to her family situation after her father passed away. He explained his understanding of the result: “So my mom will get 2/16, I will get 7/16, and my brother in Indonesia will receive 7/16 over the house my father inherited for us.”
During the event, Ahmad Juwaini also explained the journey of Dompet Dhuafa, which has been serving communities in Indonesia since 1993 with a focus on humanitarian programs, healthcare, education, and community empowerment.
Today, Dompet Dhuafa has expanded internationally with five overseas branches located in the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Australia.
Ahmad Juwaini explained that his visit to the United States was also related to his participation as a speaker at the International Islamic Economics and Finance Conference for Sustainable Development (IFESDC) 2026, held at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The conference was organized by IMAAM, Tazkia University, and Sakinah Finance, with support from the Office of the Executive Director for Southeast Asia Voting Group (EDS16), World Bank Group.
During his visit to the United States, Ahmad Juwaini also had the opportunity to visit several international institutions, including the Ford Foundation, the United Nations, and the Gates Foundation, as well as meet with the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States and the Consul General of Indonesia in New York.
The program concluded with a World Cup Final Watch Party led by Haris Koentjoro. The gathering served as an opportunity to strengthen friendship and solidarity among the Indonesian diaspora community in the United States. The final match between Spain and Argentina ended with Spain winning 1–0 over Argentina.
“This watch party was not only about enjoying the football match, but also about strengthening silaturrahim and togetherness among the Indonesian diaspora community,” said Haris Koentjoro, a renowned architect known for his works such as Pondok Indah Mall and Masjid Raya Pondok Indah. Haris and his family have lived in the United States for the past 15 years.
Source: Sakinah Finance Public Relations
