The 46th Al-Barakah Islamic Economics Symposium will open tomorrow (Monday) under the slogan “Charitable Sector and Philanthropy in the Islamic Economy: Towards a New Future”. This symposium will be hosted by Al-Barakah Islamic Economic Forum at Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University (Women) from 21 to 23 Shaban 1447AH during the period from February 9th to 11th, 2026 AD. Section – An intellectual and economic gathering considered one of the largest in the region was held in the Medina, attended by representatives of financial and development institutions from 18 countries, as well as an elite group of financial thought leaders, academics and policy makers.
The symposium is organized by Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University as the host partner, in partnership with Al Baraka Group as the global partner, and in media partnership with the “Lead” platform, which reflects the integration of the role of intellectual, academic and media institutions in supporting Islamic economic issues and increasing their presence on the world stage.
Al-Barakah Symposium is considered one of the most prominent global platforms dedicated to Islamic economics and one of the oldest intellectual platforms, which for more than 40 years has contributed to the development of its intellectual and applied systems and the promotion of constructive dialogue between scholars, experts and decision-makers on contemporary economic issues, with a view to balancing moral values and economic efficiency.
In the current session, the symposium will cover six main sessions and more than 20 scientific and applied topics, focusing on highlighting the vital role of the philanthropic sector as an effective economic sector that contributes to achieving development, strengthening social stability and supporting economic justice, especially through authentic tools such as zakat, donations, almsgiving, good loans and volunteerism.
Islamic economy is a civilizational project
Abdullah Saleh Kamel, Chairman of the Board of Al-Barakah Islamic Economic Forum, confirmed that the Al-Barakah Symposium is an extension of the established intellectual vision established by Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, a pioneer in Islamic economics and founder of Al-Barakah Forum. Abdullah Kamel believed that the Islamic economy is an integrated civilizational project based on values measured by impact, aiming at serving humanity and achieving sustainable development.
He emphasized that the charity sector, as a true economic and development supporter, can contribute to confronting contemporary economic and social challenges, and described this session as a turning point in the symposium’s journey, stressing the importance of investing in innovation and empowering youth, two pillars of the future of the Islamic economy.
Yousef Qarawi, Secretary-General of the Al-Barakah Islamic Economic Forum, said the Forum is a professional global intellectual institution that has contributed to the development of the tools of Islamic economics for decades and has helped connect the roots of science to practical application through intellectual platforms and international initiatives.
He noted that the theme of this year’s symposium reflects the strategic direction of reinterpreting the philanthropic sector as an inherent economic component rather than a complementary activity, and highlighted the symposium’s efforts to emphasize its role in achieving sustainable development, maximizing social impact, and enabling the nonprofit sector to contribute effectively to the national economy.
This symposium will discuss how to strengthen the role of Islamic banks and financial institutions in developing tools of justice and charity and leveraging them within Sharia-compatible economic models in ways that link them to financial innovation, support economic sustainability, and strengthen the integration of the financial and non-profit sectors.
The symposium also pays special attention to supporting innovation, empowering youth, and promoting social entrepreneurship by highlighting the role of modern technology and innovative financing in amplifying the impact of philanthropy and development work and transforming social initiatives into sustainable economic projects.
The symposium includes two specialized scientific lectures in addition to four applied workshops, aimed at building institutional capacity, linking theoretical knowledge with practical applications, and developing the competencies of those working in the field of Islamic economics and finance.
In the framework of supporting scientific research and building the capacity of young people, an interactive scientific session titled “Bridges between research and application” will be held under the auspices of the Saleh Kamel Prize in Islamic Economics, which will link academic research with practical applications and enable young researchers to present their research to an elite group of academics and experts.
Al-Barakah Forum also sponsors grants to host young researchers (3rd edition in 2026), allowing young researchers to participate in symposium activities, participate in scientific dialogue, and build knowledge and professional relationships that will contribute to preparing new generations to continue the development of the Islamic economy and the dissemination of its culture.
At its 46th session held in Medina, the Al-Barakah Islamic Economy Symposium affirmed to reshape the future of the Islamic economy, strengthen the position of the philanthropic sector as one of its fundamental pillars, and continue its pioneering role in investing in talent, empowering youth and supporting innovation, in order to achieve sustainable economic and social impact.
The 46th session of the Al-Barakah Symposium on Islamic Economics will open tomorrow (Monday) with the theme “The Benevolent and Benevolent Sector in Islamic Economics: Toward a New Future.” The symposium will be hosted by Al Barakah Forum for the Islamic Economy at the Women’s Department of Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University in Medina from 9 to 11 February 2026 and from 21 to 23 of Shaban 1447AH, with the participation of a select group of financial thought leaders, academics, decision makers, and representatives of financial and development institutions from 18 countries. Intellectually and economically, it is the largest in the region.
The symposium was hosted by Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University as the hosting partner, in partnership with Al-Baraka Group as the global partner, and in conjunction with the media partnership with the ‘Iqra’ platform, reflecting the integration of the roles of intellectual, academic and media institutions in supporting Islamic economic issues and increasing their presence on the world stage.
Al-Barakah Symposium is one of the most prominent global platforms dedicated to Islamic economics, and one of the oldest intellectual platforms that has contributed to the development of its intellectual and practical framework for more than 40 years, and to fostering constructive dialogue among scholars, experts, and decision-makers on contemporary economic issues with a view to balancing ethical values and economic efficiency.
The current sessions of the symposium feature six main sessions and more than 20 scientific and practical topics, with a focus on highlighting the vital role of the charity and good sector as a vibrant economic sector that contributes to achieving development, strengthening social stability and supporting economic justice through its unique tools, among others Zakat, Waqf, Philanthropy, Good Finance and Volunteerism.
Islamic Economics: A Civilizing Project
Abdullah Saleh Kamel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Al-Barakah Islamic Economic Forum, affirmed that the Al-Barakah Symposium is an extension of the solid intellectual vision established by Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Kamel, a pioneer in Islamic economics and founder of the Al-Barakah Forum. Abdullah Kamel believed that the Islamic economy is a comprehensive civilizational project based on values, measured by influence, and aimed at serving humanity and achieving sustainable development.
He explained that this session will be a pivotal hub on the symposium’s journey by highlighting the field of philanthropy and goodwill as unique economic and development contributors that can address contemporary economic and social challenges, and highlighting the importance of investing in innovation and empowering youth as two pillars of the future of Islamic economics.
Yousef Qarawi, Executive Director of the Al-Barakah Islamic Economic Forum, said the forum is a global intellectual organization specializing in Islamic economics and has contributed for decades to developing tools for Islamic economics and linking scientific foundations to practical applications through intellectual platforms and international initiatives.
He noted that the theme of this year’s symposium reflects the strategic direction of reinterpreting the charity and good sector as an inherent economic component, rather than just a complementary activity, and affirmed the symposium’s efforts to highlight its role in achieving sustainable development, maximizing social impact and enabling the non-profit sector to contribute effectively to national economies.
This symposium will discuss how to develop tools for charity and good and link them to financial innovation, strengthening the role of Islamic banks and financial institutions in leveraging them within a Sharia-compliant economic model, thereby supporting economic sustainability and strengthening the integration of the financial and non-profit sectors.
The symposium also pays special attention to supporting innovation, empowering youth, and strengthening social entrepreneurship by highlighting the role of modern technology and innovative financing in amplifying the impact of philanthropy and development work and transforming social initiatives into sustainable economic projects.
The symposium includes two specialized scientific lectures in addition to four practical workshops aimed at building organizational capacity, linking knowledge theoretically to practical applications, and developing the capacity of people working in the field of Islamic economics and finance.
To support scientific research and capacity building of young people, an interactive scientific session entitled “Bridging Research and Application” will be held under the auspices of the Saleh Kamel Prize in Islamic Economics to link academic research with practical application and enable young researchers to present their research to a selected group of academics and experts.
Al-Barakah Forum also sponsors a host grant for young researchers (3rd edition in 2026), allowing young researchers to attend symposium events and engage in scientific dialogue, building knowledge and professional relationships that will help prepare new generations to continue the development of Islamic economics and the dissemination of its culture.
In its 46th session in Medina, the Al-Barakah Symposium on Islamic Economics will reshape the future of Islamic economics, solidify the position of the charity and good sector as one of its key pillars, and reaffirm its pioneering role in investing in talent, empowering youth, supporting innovation, and achieving sustainable economic and social impact.
