Awqaf promotes charitable values in schools
The General Secretariat of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) announced on Tuesday the commencement of the final rounds of the inaugural “Mafaaz” competition, aimed at raising awareness about endowments (Waqf), charitable initiatives, and volunteerism.
The initiative is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and features participation from 52 intermediate and secondary schools across the Capital Educational Area. Acting Deputy Secretary-General for Administration and Support Services and Head of the Organizing Committee Amal Al-Dallal told KUNA that the competition involves student-led presentations of no more than five minutes, highlighting the values and significance of waqf and community service.
“The competition is open to students between the ages of 11 and 17 from both intermediate and secondary levels,” Al-Dallal noted. “This year, 52 schools are taking part—25 secondary schools, including nine for boys and 16 for girls, as well as 27 intermediate schools comprising nine boys’ schools and 18 girls’ schools.”
She explained that the qualifying rounds for the secondary level began Tuesday and will run through Thursday, hosted at Seville Elementary School for Girls in Kaifan from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. The intermediate level qualifiers will follow, taking place from Sunday through April 15 at Fahd Al-Askar Elementary School for Boys, also in Kaifan.
Al-Dallal emphasized that the competition aims to instill core human values and cultivate an early understanding of the importance of Waqf in societal development. “The initiative encourages a spirit of cooperation, altruism, and community engagement,” she said, adding that students are also encouraged to express their creativity through storytelling, poster creation, and short film production centered on waqf and charitable themes.
She affirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation among youth by offering them platforms to showcase their talents in ways that reflect their understanding and appreciation of charitable work and Islamic endowments. — KUNA
Kuwaiti Firms Join Strike for Gaza
Some businesses limit transactions, others go dark in solidarity with Palestinians
Dozens of businesses across Kuwait took part in a global strike on Monday, standing in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and demanding an end to the genocide by the Zionist entity. From suspending financial transactions to closing physical and online stores, local business owners stepped away from profits to take a moral stand.
The call for the strike comes from the Global Campaign to Stop the Genocide in Gaza, a coalition of international civil society groups urging people across the world — including Kuwait and other Arab countries — to stand still, if only for one day, to send a message that Gaza is not alone. “For Gaza’s children and women, to stop its extermination and mass killing — we call on the free people of the world to join the global strike and civil disobedience in protest against the genocide in Gaza,” the coalition said in a post published on their Instagram account.
The strike was supported by The National and Islamic Forces — an alliance of major factions in Palestine, including Hamas and Fatah — who called for “a comprehensive strike across all aspects of life in the occupied territories and refugee camps”.
The global campaign appeal urged a complete halt to all financial activity: No shopping, no online orders, no fuel stops, no card payments and no bank transfers, especially through tools and
platforms linked to Western financial networks and corporations. Supporters around the world disengaged from the global economic system for 24 hours, aiming to shine a global spotlight on the devastation unfolding in Gaza: the relentless airstrikes, the killing of entire families, and the systematic destruction of homes.
In Kuwait, the response was swift and emotionally charged. Some businesses announced they would completely suspend operations, including all financial transactions, including online and in-person purchases, whether using credit cards, and in some cases, even cash. Others accepted cash only and pledged to send part of or all the proceeds from their sales to Gaza.
“Even if we lose profits for the day — or the whole year — it means nothing,” said Khaled Almadini, Marketing and HR Manager at a local incense company. “The pain we witness daily, the helplessness we feel... that’s far more unbearable than any financial loss.” For Almadini, this wasn’t about politics — it was about humanity. “It’s a humanitarian issue. Even if animals were facing this brutality, we’d act. So how can we stay silent when children, women, elders — innocent souls — are being erased?”
His business went completely dark for the day: No orders, no digital payments, no financial links. “Money is not more valuable than life,” he added. “Our Prophet (PBUH) said the destruction of the Kaaba is less severe than the killing of one soul. So how can we just carry on as if nothing’s happening?” Almadini acknowledged that the impact may seem symbolic — but believes symbolism, repeated and widespread, becomes power. “If more people joined, we could begin to hurt the companies and economies that enable this violence. That’s worth trying.”
Soha Sabbah, co-owner of a local restaurant, echoed a similar sentiment. “We’re not holding weapons. But we can hold back our money. And maybe that matters.” She suspended all orders through her website and delivery platforms, refusing even local digital payments tied to global banking systems. “No Visa. No Mastercard. No links. Just cash. And all of today’s cash will go straight to Gaza.” Financial loss, she said, was irrelevant. “Even if I lose KD 100 or 300 today — it’s nothing. I’m doing this to show my customers, and my kids, that we do not watch in silence.”
On social media platforms like Instagram and X, dozens of Kuwaiti businesses issued similar statements of solidarity — many sharing nearly identical declarations that they would suspend financial transactions on Monday, April 7, as part of the global strike.
It wasn’t just businesses that participated. Many consumers across Kuwait also embraced the strike, abiding by the call to avoid online purchases, streaming services, and digital banking for the day. One user on Instagram commented: “I entered the supermarket to get some stuff and filled my cart, then I remembered the strike. I left the cart where it was and walked out.”
While many embraced the strike as an act of resistance, some users on social media platform X expressed skepticism about its real-world impact. “What does Gaza gain from halting bank transfers in Kuwait? We’ve always supported Gaza through aid. But let’s not harm ourselves in the process,” one user wrote. “I support punishing the occupation — but how is stopping KNET helping? Aren’t we hurting ourselves more?” another added.
Supporters, however, defended the strike’s symbolic weight. “It’s an intelligent financial strike — a people’s weapon against systems profiting from our silence,” said activist Nayla Fayez. “As long as Gaza bleeds, the world’s economy shouldn’t function as normal.”
Kuwaiti academic Dr Haya bint Salman Al-Sabah voiced concern about the strike’s religious and ethical implications. In a widely circulated Instagram post, she emphasized that Islam does not permit harming others in pursuit of good. “The comprehensive strike is not permissible if it disrupts people’s needs,” she wrote, referencing Quranic verses.
“This catastrophe must be addressed with wisdom — through scholars and strategic decisions, not emotional acts that may cause more harm than good,” she added. While she supported targeted boycotts with scholarly backing, she warned that blanket work stoppages may cross ethical lines./ Passant Hisham/ Kuwait Times
In partnership with the General Secretariat of Awqaf..
"Namaa Charity" distributes more than 435,000 iftar meals inside Kuwait and in 25 countries around the world
As part of its ongoing efforts to serve those in need and promote the values of humanitarian solidarity, Namaa Charity, under the Association of Social Reform, has implemented an iftar project for fasting individuals inside Kuwait and in 25 countries around the world. This initiative benefited 180,331 fasting individuals within Kuwait and more than 255,000 beneficiaries outside Kuwait, in strategic partnership with the General Secretariat of Awqaf - Private Banks Department, through the "Iftar for the Fasting" bank.
In this context, Abdulaziz Al-Kandari, the Deputy CEO of Namaa Charity, affirmed that the partnership with the General Secretariat of Awqaf represents a model for sustainable institutional charitable work. He stated: "The General Secretariat of Awqaf has always been a strategic partner for Namaa Charity in many charitable projects, including the iftar project, which has contributed to alleviating the suffering of thousands in need within and outside Kuwait. This partnership reflects the role of awqaf in supporting effective humanitarian initiatives and empowering charitable work to achieve a wider and more sustainable impact."
He emphasized that the project reflects the commitment of Namaa Charity to its humanitarian role, as it aims to provide relief for the poor and needy during the holy month of Ramadan. He indicated that providing iftar meals and food baskets in countries with the greatest need contributes to enhancing food security and deepening the values of social solidarity.
Al-Kandari stated: "The 'Iftar for the Fasting' project is one of the most prominent seasonal projects we are keen to implement annually, especially in the poorest communities. The project is not limited to satisfying the hunger of the fasting individuals, but carries a humanitarian message that enhances the values of compassion and brotherhood." He added that the project was implemented in collaboration with accredited associations and organizations from the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that aid reaches its rightful beneficiaries with full transparency and efficiency.
Moreover, Al-Kandari mentioned that the Iftar for the Fasting project was not merely about providing iftar meals, but was a project aimed at relief and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in the most needed countries. Namaa Charity provided complete meals in areas suffering from poverty and conflict, emphasizing that this year's project distinguished itself in Palestine through the "Ramadan Takyas" initiative, which provided hot meals to needy families, with the cost of each takya amounting to 1,000 Kuwaiti Dinars, serving 1,000 fasting individuals daily.
In conclusion, Al-Kandari reiterated Namaa Charity's commitment to expanding the scope of its humanitarian projects and strengthening strategic partnerships to ensure that aid reaches its beneficiaries with the highest efficiency and transparency.
Al-Mujtama
The Constitutional Movement: Saving the People of Gaza from Genocide, Killing, and Starvation is a Religious and Humanitarian Duty
The Islamic Constitutional Movement stated the situation in Gaza, asserting that saving the people of Gaza from genocide, killing, and starvation is a religious and humanitarian duty, calling on Arab and Islamic countries, especially neighboring ones, to provide all forms of relief and support and to follow Kuwait’s stance in coordinating to reject repeated assaults on Islamic sanctities.
Translation of the Text of the statement:
A statement from the Islamic Constitutional Movement regarding Gaza: Saving the people of Gaza from genocide, killing, and starvation is a religious and humanitarian duty.
God Almighty said: “And the believers, men and women, are allies of one another” (At-Tawbah: 71)
In light of the ongoing brutal Zionist crimes committed by the occupation forces throughout the Gaza Strip, which have resulted in thousands of martyrs, wounded, injured, and displaced individuals since the breach of the ceasefire and the resumption of the barbaric war on the dawn of the 18th of March, the Islamic Constitutional Movement strongly emphasizes the following during this difficult time:
(1) The steadfast and resilient Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip are making the greatest sacrifices in the face of the savage Zionist war machine, and they deserve all forms of unconditional support and assistance. Therefore, we call on Arab and Islamic countries, especially those neighboring it, to provide all forms of relief, support, and rescue based on the legal duty and the principles of chivalry, nobility, and Arab and Islamic values, in response to the saying of the Messenger of Allah, "He who goes to bed full while knowing that his neighbor is hungry is not a believer."
(2) The heinous crimes of genocide, murder, and starvation perpetrated by the Zionist entity against innocent and defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip, under the watchful eyes of the world, could not have taken place without the explicit and overt political and material support provided by the American administration, which also bears full historical and moral responsibility for these horrific crimes that human history has never witnessed.
(3) We commend the efforts of the Jerusalemites, their steadfastness, and their efforts to build and maintain the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan and throughout the year in the face of the plans of the extremist Zionist government to control it, which have become explicit and apparent. We also praise the statement issued by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, which strongly condemned the entry of a minister from the occupation government into the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of occupation forces and the removal of worshippers from it, in a blatant violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions, and a provocation of the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world.
(4) We call on Arab and Islamic countries to follow the stance of the State of Kuwait and to coordinate fully among themselves to reject the repeated violations of the Zionist entity against Islamic sanctities, in order to deter it from its vile plans to starve and annihilate the people of Gaza, and not to be content with mere condemnation and denunciation, but to shift to actual stances, especially regarding the surrounding countries.
(5) We urge Arab and Islamic nations and the free people of the world to take practical and effective initiatives to support and assist the Palestinian people and stand by them in the face of the fiercest Zionist genocidal crimes that have never been witnessed in history.
(6) The silence of the world regarding the war of killing, starvation, and genocide waged by the Zionist entity against an unarmed people, including children, women, and the elderly, is a stain on the conscience of humanity as a whole and particularly on Arabs and Muslims; it can only be erased by an urgent awakening to provide relief and rescue for the afflicted in Gaza.
And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know. (Surah Yusuf, Verse 21)
The Islamic Constitutional Movement
Kuwait, 5 Shawwal 1446 AH, 3 April 2025 CE
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In partnership between the General Secretariat of Awqaf and the Ministry of Education...
The final qualifiers for the “Mufaz” competition to promote awareness of Awqaf and charitable and voluntary work have begun
The Deputy Secretary-General for Administration and Support Services at the General Secretariat of Awqaf, Amal Hussein Al-Dalal, announced the launch of the final qualifiers for the first round of the Mufaz competition to raise awareness of Awqaf and charitable and voluntary work to revive, instill, and enhance the Sunnah of Awqaf and its role in community development among young students since childhood, in cooperation between the General Secretariat of Awqaf and the Ministry of Education, during the period from April 8 to April 15 of this year.
Al-Dalal, the head of the organizing committee for the competition, added that the "Mfaz" competition consists of a short presentation not exceeding 5 minutes, presented by a group of male and female students from schools in the Capital Educational Zone about waqf (endowment) and charitable and volunteer work in Kuwait. Contestants must be aged between 11 and 17 years, in both middle and secondary stages.
Al-Dalal stated that the competition has received a great response from middle and secondary school students, with 52 schools from the Capital Educational Zone participating in the final rounds, including 25 secondary schools and 27 middle schools.
She mentioned that the secondary stage qualifiers will start today, Tuesday, April 8, and continue until Thursday, April 10, while the middle stage qualifiers will begin on Sunday, April 13, and run until Thursday, April 15.
Al-Dalal explained that the general objectives of the competition include: promoting humanitarian values by instilling values of cooperation, participation, and selflessness in students through their understanding of the importance of waqf and charitable work; developing research skills by encouraging students to seek information about waqf and charitable work, which enhances their research and analytical skills; fostering a spirit of initiative by motivating students to think of innovative ideas for waqf projects or charitable works that can be implemented in their schools or communities; and training students on teamwork through enhancing group work by forming student teams for joint projects related to waqf or charitable acts.
Additionally, it aims to develop leadership skills among students through organizing events and workshops related to waqf and charitable initiatives to prepare them to be future leaders, encourage creativity by providing students with opportunities to express their ideas creatively, such as writing stories, creating posters, or producing short films about waqf and charitable work; and teaching social responsibility by promoting the concept of social responsibility among students through their participation in actual charitable activities, as well as appreciating the efforts of young people by honoring students who actively contribute to charitable work or present innovative ideas for waqf projects.
In conclusion, Al-Dalal expressed her gratitude to those involved in the competition, including committees and individuals, appreciating the efforts made to ensure the success of the competition and its commendable outcome, whether from the General Secretariat of Awqaf or the Ministry of Education.
Al-Dalal stated that the General Secretariat of Awqaf will spare no effort in promoting the culture of waqf and encouraging it to enhance its role in community development in order to elevate our beloved Kuwait to its rightful and leading position among nations, under the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir of the country, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and the faithful Crown Prince, may God protect them both.
Al-Mujtama