Founded in 2023 by Arfah Farooq and Zahid Mahmood, the festival brings together entrepreneurs, developers, and investors from all over the world to network, share ideas, and challenge industry norms.
Zahid Mahmood, co-founder of MTF, said “Faith and innovation aren’t opposites; they’ve always gone hand in hand. What we need to do is go back to first principles as Muslims and see how it is that we build enterprise, technology, and innovation in a way that serves Allah”.
“It’s not contradictory to what major tech companies are doing today—it’s about putting the right philosophy and principles in place”.
Mahmood also spoke about the importance of building technology that works for everyone, including people with disabilities or those using tech for the first time.
He said Islamic values encourage developers to think about who their work serves and impacts.
He said that last year, MTF hosted a Gaza Expo, and this year, despite challenges, Palestinian tech founders took part through talks and startup showcases.
“Technology alone is not going to save the world”, Mahmood said. “But if this event can inspire someone to make a change, support a cause, or spread a message, then it’s been a success”.
