The annual Ibtikar Summit brought together creative minds to address contemporary issues with faith-based solutions, all while adhering to Muslim ethics and values. The summit took place from Feb. 22-23 at the UW. It had a public expo that took place on Saturday, Feb. 23 at Mathematics 3 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

The summit aimed to teach students that serving God goes beyond our mosques. Through relationships with Muslim professionals who offer mentorship and direction, this summit strived to help students unlock the skills that God has given them, allowing them to serve humanity. Throughout the summit students got a chance to think creatively about solutions for the Ummah, which means Muslim identity.

The summit included a two-day pitch competition where 24 teams of students worked on ideas to tackle the summits four problem statement themes. The top three teams were awarded prizes. Education, ‘Ilm, ​Shari’a compliance systems, news and journalism, and sustainable resource Management were the four themes students used to base their projects on.

Education and ‘Ilm is about the need for curriculums that merge Islamic ethics with academics and provide better teacher training. ​Shari’a Compliance Systems through standardized frameworks and technological integration aims to ensure that Muslims can align their daily lives and finances with Islamic principles. News and journalism aims to provide faith-based journalism to fight misinformation about Muslims in mainstream media by amplifying Musilm voices and establishing ethical reporting standards that align with Islamic ethics. Sustainable Resource Management strives to help modern Musilm societies that face sustainability challenges. In order to promote responsible resource management in line with islamic principles there is a need to develop eco-friendly innovations and use Islamic financial models. 

The three teams that won were MyHayaa, Yusr, and Yusra Health. Team Fareeka received an honourable mention, specifically created for Muslim children between the ages of 12 and 14. MyHayaa is an educational portal that provides thorough health and sexual education based on Islamic principles. Yusr is a community crowdfunded burial support that helps the Muslim community afford funeral expenses for families grieving. By joining a group of 140 members, people agree to pay for each other’s funerals, which drastically lowers the cost to between $20 and $40 per person. Yusra Health aims to provide faith-based medical guidance. For example, guidance on how to pray when injured or how to fast while suffering from a chronic illness. Team Fareeka, who received the honorable mention, provides Arabic audiobooks for the modern listener. Fareeka introduces a new generation of listeners to the richness and beauty of Arabic narrative by opening up a new platform for both classical and modern Arabic works. 

Sabeeh Ahmed, president of Ibtikar, mentioned that all four teams will advance through Ibtikar Foundry, a student-led development center that uses the community’s technical know-how to realize innovative concepts. 

“By joining Ibtikar Foundry, they gain access to a powerful network of resources, including mentorship and support from leading organizations like MAX (Muslims Achieving Excellence), Ummah1, and PolaireLabs. The journey ahead is clear: Validate, Build, and Execute. These teams will rapidly test their ideas, develop functional prototypes, and bring impactful solutions to market—turning innovative concepts into transformative realities,” Ahmed said.