Kanjeza Islamic Sisters Graduates 440 women in Islamic Banking and Trading

As the Muslim Association continues its advocacy on Islamic Financial services, one of the Muslim sisters organization in the country has already started putting into practice the principles of Islamic banking and finance .

Dressed in white attire and green scarf on their shoulders the women made the event to be colorful in presence of some Muslim dignitaries within the Muslim community at COMESA Whole in Blantyre in February this year.

On this day Kanjeza Islamic Sisters graduated 440 women in Islamic Banking and trading popularly known as village bank without interest.

Speaking at the event Chairperson for Kanjeza Islamic Sisters Jamila lilly commended the late Muhammad Juma with his friends Yasin Banda, Hussein Adam and brother Moril Ndemanga from Muha and Mo Islamic Financial Services Consultancy film who volunteered themselves to teach the women how to run businesses following Islamic banking and finance principles. She said the genesis of all this happened in 2014 at a similar event where the four graduates who were in attendance promised to teach the women during weekends upon leaning their concerns.

Lilly further said that Faith has got its own beliefs, in Islam we believe the teachings of the Qur’an, taking loans from other banks that charge interests make you loose you property after failing to pay back the loans and the interest itself and you even run away from your husband. She said through the training they have learned how to be successful in business and what is needed in business as well as how to sustain it.

Sister Lilly further said that they also learned how to follow Godly Principles to succeed in business and through the training the women who borrowed money from the institutions that charge interest immediately abandoned it because they had no peace of mind because of the interest they charge.

She urged the former Transport Minister Sidik Mia who has been helping the organization for a long period to consider helping other Muslim women organizations. Also speaking at the same event was Fatima Makawa Vice Chairperson for Kanjeza Islamic Sisters saying they will continue following Islamic Principles as well as speeding the massages in Dawah meetings.

Brother Kanonji Board chairperson for Kanjeza Islamic Sisters said that initially there was a small group of number when they were starting the organization and the beginning was very difficult as some people were not happy to see it growing but the secret is that God has got his own program that is the reason why the organization has grown bigger as it is today.

Kanonje then urged the graduating women to find a program at Radio and Television Islam and other media outlets to teach their fellow women in villages the knowledge they have acquired.

“You should also respect your husbands and I ask others who have the capacity to come in because we intend to find our own place to build a magnificent structure for business purposes,” he said.

Chairperson for Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) for Blantyre District Brother Aman Omar commended the organizers of the event as it was first of its kind in the History of Malawi. Omar said that Kanjeza Islamic Sisters is the only organization that is teaching Muslim women how to run businesses in Malawi.

Apart from teaching the women how to run businesses the organizations also is looks after orphans, paying school fees for needy children and they are doing a number of programs whose aim is to support other people sand change their lives to better. Omar then urged Muslims to work together in bringing up Islam and urged Kanjeza Islamic Sisters to help Muslim women within Blantyre zones that are needy and less privileged.

Also speaking at the same function was Sheikh Abdul Hakim Ganda Regional Chairperson for (MAM) who thanked brother Kanonji and his entire Board for taking a leading role in helping Muslim women in Malawi, He also applauded former transport minister Muhammad sidik Mia for his tremendous contribution towards Islamic activities in the country.

“The prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) said a man is forced to be educated for him or her to know what is right or wrong. If we teach women we have educated the whole nation as MAM we are happy for the commendable job you are doing this is what we want.

“Show that in Malawi there are people who are capable of changing the mindset and closing all the barriers by bringing economic changes that would improve people’s livelihood”. He said.

Speaking on behalf of his Muha And Mo Islamic Financial Services Consultancy firm Moril Ibrahim Ndemanga interest is destroying families. That is why his firm is ready to provide free services for people to understand what is Islamic banking and finance.

“We are aware that there are a number of organizations that provide loans to women but what is lacking is training.”

Moril urged the Muslim Association of Malawi to continue engaging the Reserve Bank of Malawi in order to hasten the process of providing Islamic Banking and finance framework that will enable banks and other financial service providers operate Islamic windows in the country As guest of honor Muhammad Sidik Mia said the first thing that Allah told the ProphetMuhammad (Peace be upon him) was to seek education saying that education which the women acquired has come at the right time as the country is fighting poverty and Muslims are the worst hit by poverty which is affecting millions of people in the country.

“What destroys our country is not war but the people who have the authority to speak when things go wrong but they do remain silent. As Muslims we lack so many things that are not Halaal, things that do not comply with “Islamic principles” he said.

He, however donated money amounting Ten million to Kanjeza Islamic Sisters as a starter pack and urged Muslims to be united and strong for things to move forward.

“There are so many rich people in the country but they are not pushed to help the needy. Use this capital prudently and if there will be an opportunity that you find huge sums of money elsewhere please use it wisely,” he said.