IPB students introduce Sharia Cooperative in the mosque

A mosque as a place of worship for Muslims is commonplace, but if, in addition to  a place of worship, it becomes a center of rural economy, it is extraordinary. Some IPB students initiated the Sharia Cooperative precisely at the Al-Ghomidi Mosque, in the Sub-district of Cibitung Tengah Bogor. Through the Student Creativity Program funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Randy (team leader), Riki Cahyo Edy, M. Wahyu Sautomo, Asep Hambali, and Pipit Pratama initiated the Sharia or Islamic cooperative at the mosque. "The basic idea came out of our desire to improve the welfare of rural communities through economic activities at the mosque; moreover as it was exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad that the mosque was also used as a center of government," said Riki.

These five students have the motivation to encourage the village to know further about the Sharia Cooperative. "We want to show a warm image of the Islamic Cooperative to the people in the village, we want to prove that the Islamic Cooperative is able to stimulate the rural economy", said Randy. Various integrated programs that they design include intensive approach, briefing, board formation and collective commitment to establish an Islamic cooperative.
 
"In the near future we are providing a model of sharia cooperative, which is then operated; our target is to form a truly official Islamic cooperative," said Riki.

The big hope of the five students of IPB is that such movement can also be done by other young people by optimizing the functions of the mosque.  “It can be expected if every mosque had a sharia cooperative, it would at least provide a room and an opportunity for the rural economy to get more developed," added Riki. (Mtd)