Shaik Zakeer Hussain is the founding editor of Barakah Insider. He is a journalist and Muslim cultural entrepreneur building a narrative ecosystem through media, books, events, and film to reshape Muslim narratives.
Apps
Boycat, the app and browser extension that helps users boycott unethical brands and find ethical alternatives, has launched BuycatVPN, a secure, spyware-free virtual private network. The service is aimed at users seeking protection from surveillance capitalism and opaque corporate practices. Founder Adil Abbuthalha announced the launch on social media,
Innovation & Technology
Maalexi, a B2B food and agri platform based in the UAE, has bagged a Shariah-Compliant credit facility of up to $20 million from Amwal Capital Partners, an independent alternative investment firm, to ramp up operations and advance food security in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The agreement starts with
Islamic Finance
Bahrain’s Ajyad Capital is doubling down on the future of Islamic finance. The Shariah-compliant investment firm, licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain since 2003, has announced a new strategic partnership with UK-based Ratings Intelligence, a leading provider of Shariah advisory and compliance solutions. The collaboration will
Innovation & Technology
Malaysia-based Zetrix AI has launched NurAI, which it bills as the world’s first Shariah-aligned large language model (LLM). Built on Islamic principles and tailored for the Global South, NurAI is designed to provide Muslims with a values-based AI alternative to Western and Chinese models. NurAI provides
Halal Industry
In a strategic move to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global halal hub, BRF, one of the world’s largest food companies, and the Halal Products Development Company (HPDC), a wholly owned Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, announced the creation of a Halal Food Innovation Center at BRF’
News
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has unveiled a new digital platform, “Nusuk Umrah,” designed to simplify the process for Muslims around the world seeking to perform Umrah. The service, accessible at umrah.nusuk.sa, enables pilgrims to apply directly for Umrah visas and book travel packages electronically,
Startups
Hasan.VC, the venture capital arm of Malaysia-based Ethis Group, has opened applications for Cohort 003 of its high-impact Accelerator Programme, doubling down on its mission to support purpose-driven halal and ethical startups across Southeast Asia. The Hasan.VC Accelerator is a five-week, fully online programme
Halal Industry
Zabihah, the US-based halal discovery and delivery platform, has announced its merger with River, a rapidly growing US-based fintech infrastructure provider specialising in compliant, cross-border payments and global financial technology. As part of the merger, Zabihah will transition into the consumer brand and user gateway to the
Education
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), together with Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business & Entrepreneurship (MBSC), has launched an innovative Entrepreneurial Mindset Development Program aimed at empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs across the 57 IsDB Member Countries and Muslim communities worldwide. This strategic initiative represents a fusion
Travel
Saudi Arabia is set to welcome 300,000 visitors this November for In the Prophet’s Steps, a groundbreaking project that recreates the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) migration route from Makkah to Madinah. Organised by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), the project has drawn immense global interest, with over one
Travel
The 2nd Halal and Muslim-Friendly Tourism Forum took centre stage at the Seda Hotel in Cebu City last week, gathering government leaders, industry stakeholders, and advocates in a unified push to elevate the Philippines as a destination of choice for Muslim travellers. The event, a collaboration between the Department
Islamic Banking
The Bank of Ghana has taken a significant step toward introducing Non-Interest Banking and Finance (NIBF) by convening a high-level meeting with senior religious leaders in Accra. The initiative, led by Governor Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, reflects the central bank's commitment to deepening financial inclusion through