Global Islamic Education Movement “Ilmuna” Officially Launched in Colombo

A new international initiative to reshape education in the Muslim world has been launched in Colombo, bringing together senior academics, policymakers, and educators from across 34 countries.

The World Islamic Board of Education, known as Ilmuna, aims to establish a global framework for learning that integrates ethical, spiritual, and academic excellence. Registered as a non-profit organization in London, Ilmuna seeks to offer a unifying platform for Muslim educators and institutions worldwide.

“The world doesn’t lack intelligence — it lacks meaning, purpose, and connection,” said Dr. Sayd Farook, Ilmuna’s founding chairman. “Thousands of educators are doing exceptional work, but many are building in isolation. Ilmuna is about bringing coherence to that collective effort.”

A Global Response to a Fragmented Landscape

The launch follows an 18-month consultative process involving nearly 200 experts from 25 countries. Delegates at the Colombo meeting announced Ilmuna’s first Board of Trustees and outlined its strategic plan through 2030, including educator accreditation, policy research, and curriculum design.

Derived from the Arabic ʿilm (knowledge) and nā (our), “Ilmuna” translates as “our knowledge” — a phrase that reflects the organization’s collective ethos. The initiative builds on decades of discourse since the First World Conference on Muslim Education in Makkah in 1977, which called for a renewal of learning grounded in revelation and ethics.

Ilmuna’s founders describe their goal as creating a “values-based educational methodology” that aligns Islamic principles with contemporary educational standards. The organization plans to collaborate with governments, accreditation boards, and private sector partners to expand its reach.

From Idea to Institution

The concept of Ilmuna originated in Hakuba, Japan, in 2024, when a group of educators asked whether the Muslim world could create an international qualification equivalent in stature to the International Baccalaureate but rooted in its own philosophical tradition.

The idea evolved into a series of international consultations — the Madinah Consensus in April 2025 and the Colombo Consensus later that year — culminating in Ilmuna’s formal establishment as a global board.

According to its founders, the organization is not intended to replace existing institutions but to connect and strengthen them through shared frameworks, research, and policy development.

“In a short time, a huge momentum has been created to reimagine, renew, and restore our educational heritage to meet the contemporary needs of young Muslims everywhere,” said Dr. Farah Ahmed, a founding member of the movement.

Structure and Leadership

The inaugural Board of Trustees includes nine members from diverse professional backgrounds:
Dr. Sayd Farook (Chairman), Mr. Mansoor Shakil (Deputy Chairman), Ms. Hediah Kadous (Secretary), Dr. Claire Alkouatli, Mr. Asad Choudhary, Dr. Sabariah Faridah, Dr. Nadeem Memon, and Mr. Abdul Matheen Yousuf.

Two advisory appointments were also announced: Shaykh Shams Adduha Mohamed as Head of the Islamic Advisory Board, and Ms. Uzma Ahmed as Head of the Experts Council on Educator Development.

Ilmuna’s headquarters will remain in London, with regional hubs to be established in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The organization operates as a non-profit, waqf-supported body, funded through donations, grants, and partnerships with philanthropic entities.

2030 Vision and Next Steps

By 2030, Ilmuna intends to:

• Develop a unified educational framework integrating faith and excellence.

• Create educator development and accreditation pathways.

• Advance collaborative research and innovation in educational technology and policy.

• Design adaptable curricula aligned with international benchmarks.

Over the next six months, Ilmuna will appoint an executive management team, form specialist councils, and begin piloting its educational framework in selected schools worldwide.

In the longer term, the organization hopes to help Muslim learners around the world experience education as a process of intellectual and moral growth — “not just preparation for work,” said one founder, “but preparation for wisdom.”