Alhabibiyyah ends three-day interfaith training on faith-based giving
…Interfaith initiative in Abuja brings together Muslim and Christian clerics to tackle poverty through sustainable giving…
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society of Nigeria has concluded a three-day training programme on faith and philanthropy aimed at equipping religious leaders with tools to mobilise resources, promote accountability and reduce poverty through sustainable, faith-based giving.
The Training of Trainers (ToT), held in Abuja and supported by the MacArthur Foundation, brought together about 60 Muslim and Christian leaders from Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, according to a communique issued at the close of the event.
PEACE Magazine learned during the training that the sessions focused on practical frameworks for coordinated giving, accountability in charity management and the use of structured foundations by faith-based organisations to address poverty and social gaps.
Speaking after the programme, the Chief Missioner and Executive Director of Al-Habibiyyah, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, said the initiative was designed to strengthen the capacity of faith institutions to respond to social and economic challenges.
“We want to promote prosperity, and we have realised that government alone cannot provide everything the people need,” Adeyemi told journalists. “Religious organisations must expose themselves to the tools and methods that will enable them to source resources independently and manage them responsibly.”
He said the interfaith nature of the programme was deliberate, noting that poverty, hunger and insecurity cut across religious lines.
“Poverty does not recognise religion. If we want peace and happiness, we must work together. When we grow and prosper together, we unconsciously pray for one another’s success,” he said.
The training, themed ‘Building Communities Through Sustainable Faith-Based Giving’, featured presentations by religious leaders and development experts on system strengthening, NGO management and coordinated philanthropy.
In his remarks, the Archbishop of Abuja, Northern Province of the African Church, Rev. Peter Ogunmuyiwa, described the programme as timely and impactful.
“This training has opened our eyes to how faith institutions can deliberately structure giving to reduce suffering,” Ogunmuyiwa said. “The collaboration between Muslim and Christian leaders here is commendable and should be sustained.”
Also speaking, the General Coordinator of the Women’s Interfaith Council (WIC), Elizabeth Abuk, said faith-based cooperation remained critical to peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.
“Women of different faiths have continued to work together for peace, and this training strengthens our collective resolve to support vulnerable communities,” she said.
Rev. Cosmos Asuquo of the Hand of God Church in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said the sessions deepened his understanding of philanthropy beyond charity.
“I have learnt that philanthropy is not just about giving, but about planning, accountability and sustainability,” he said.
Prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Muhammad Nuru Khalid, popularly known as the Digital Imam, said the programme addressed a major gap in how faith organisations approach social intervention.
“For too long, many religious institutions have relied on spontaneous charity without structure,” he said. “This training shows how faith leaders can combine spiritual teachings with professional systems to deliver impact, transparency and trust in the use of donated funds.”
He added that faith leaders must adapt to modern tools while remaining rooted in moral values.
“Digital platforms, data and proper governance are no longer optional. If religious organisations want to remain relevant and credible, they must embrace these tools while upholding integrity,” Khalid said.
The founder and chairman of the Ashraaf Islamic Foundation, Imam (Dr.) Sharafudeen AbdulSalam Aliagan, cautioned clerics against what he described as a culture of reluctance to give.
“Stinginess has no place in religious leadership,” Aliagan said. “If leaders do not model generosity and accountability, it will be difficult to mobilise others. Charity must be institutionalised, not personalised.”
In a communique jointly signed by participating organisations, including Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society and Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, participants recommended that faith-based organisations establish foundations, invest in education and health, strengthen interfaith networks and partner with government and the private sector to support social safety-net programmes.
They also called on authorities to address insecurity without politicisation and to support interfaith engagements as a platform for national cohesion.
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