Creating a Global Brand for Zakat and Waqf

At the World Zakat and Waqf Forum 2025, I co-facilitated Masterclass 5: Borderless Brands with Puan Hajjah Alvirah Mohd Natt and Puan Hajjah Azlin Mohd Said. The session brought together participants from across countries and institutions, all seeking a clearer, more consistent way to communicate Zakat and Waqf.

The idea was simple: communication should build bridges, not borders. To connect across languages, generations and sectors, our stories must be transparent, human and consistent.

STEP 1: START WITH YOUR AUDIENCE (STAKEHOLDERS)

This was a short class, so we began by mapping three key groups. You may have more. I encourage you to list as many stakeholders as possible, and then classify them into 3-5 major groups, for example:

1. Public and Community Stakeholders: donors, recipients, and the public.
2. Internal Stakeholders: staff, volunteers, shareholders, internal donors and leadership.
3. Partners and Policymakers:  ministries, funders, and collaborators.
   

Every group valued the same three things: transparency, sustainability, and dignity. When communication reflects these values, trust follows. It is important to remember that across these groups,  the way we communicate with them, the way the key messages are prioritised and the channels that we use may differ. 

STEP 2: BUILD A MESSAGE HOUSE

A Message House is a simple framework I often use with clients:

• Roof: What your organisation stands for.
• Pillars: Three messages that explain how you deliver that promise.
• Base: Proof points that give credibility.
  

For example, one agency may frame its roof as “Empowering communities through transparent, impactful Zakat and Waqf.” Its pillars focused on transparency, empowerment, and dignity, a key message that resonated across all its target audiences.

STEP 3: USE AI TO STRENGTHEN CLARITY

The goal is not to replace human storytelling but to sharpen language and structure so ideas could travel further.

A prompt engineered using the PLANS method may look like this:

Rewrite this Message House for [insert audience] using clear, persuasive, and inclusive language that reflects the values of Zakat and Waqf. Focus on making the message credible, purposeful, and audience-centred. Keep it concise and professional in tone, highlighting transparency, empowerment, and social impact as core themes. Structure the response into three parts — Roof (the main organisational promise), Pillars (three key messages that explain how this promise is fulfilled), and Base (proof points or evidence that make each message believable). End by linking the overall narrative to the “Borderless Brands” theme, showing how clarity and consistency allow Zakat and Waqf messages to travel across communities and cultures.

 
We concluded that technology should enhance, not replace, human empathy. Data builds credibility; stories build trust. To communicate faith-based impact, we must speak with both head and heart.

STEP 5: PICK YOUR CHANNELS AND SET ASIDE A BUDGET

Effective communication is not only about crafting the right message but also about choosing the right channel. Each generation consumes information differently:

• Boomers and Gen X tend to rely on newspapers, television, and formal reports
• Millennials prefer concise, visual content shared through websites, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Gen Z engages through short-form videos, Instagram, and TikTok, often seeking authenticity and interactivity.

For Zakat and Waqf institutions to stay relevant, an omnichannel strategy is essential, one that blends traditional outreach with digital storytelling, online engagement, and on-ground community presence. Clear communication strategies and dedicated budgets must be built into organisational planning, not as afterthoughts but as enablers of trust, participation, and long-term impact.

If you’d like to apply these tools in your organisation, you can download the full deck here: The Borderless Brands Masterclass Deck (PDF)

It includes templates and examples to help you identify your target audience, build your own Message House and strengthen your communication framework.

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