Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department

What Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department does

The Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) is the Dubai government entity — established in 1969 and reorganized under Law No. 2 of 2011 — responsible for regulating Islamic affairs, charitable activities, and mosque management across the emirate. The department operates across three pillars: Islamic affairs, charitable work, and mosque affairs, serving Muslim residents, Emirati families, charitable organizations, mosques, and educational institutions. Its service portfolio includes religious guidance, fatwa issuance, Friday sermon publication, Hajj and Umrah coordination, Quran education and memorization programs, charity licensing oversight, and the Dubai International Holy Quran Award.

IACAD's technology stack centers on a smart e-services portal (eservices.iacad.gov.ae), the Dulook DXB prayer times mobile application (iOS/Android), a Dubai AI chatbot integration, and the Dubai Archive digital infrastructure developed in partnership with ONE ECM. The department is rolling out a published Strategy for Data and Artificial Intelligence 2025-2027 and holds nine ISO certifications (9001, 14001, 22301, 26000, 27001, 31000, 45001, 20400, 56002). Core offerings include programs such as Imam Al-Freij, Mutawaa Al-Freej, Ayal Al-Freij, Ajyal, Fareej Mosques, and "In Every Home a Hafiz," alongside licensed ritual services and standardized Hajj season pricing.

The department is funded through Dubai government budget allocations and manages charitable flows (Zakat, Sadaqah, mosque sponsorship, Adahi sacrifice projects); all citizen-facing services are free of charge. Distribution combines self-serve digital platforms, a 24/7 call center (800600), physical service centers (Al-Mamzar HQ, Hatta, Nad Al Sheba Ladies, Al-Qusais), the mosque and cultural Islamic center network, and school partnerships via KHDA. In Q1 2026, IACAD commissioned 13 new mosques at a Dh162 million investment with 10,400+ worshipper capacity and committed to an eight-year EV charging partnership with Emarat, confirming sustained infrastructure expansion.

Name

Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department

Legal name

Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (دائرة الشؤون الإسلامية والعمل الخيري)

Website

https://iacad.gov.ae

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) is the Dubai government entity responsible for regulating Islamic affairs, charitable activities, and mosque management across the emirate, serving Muslim residents, charitable organizations, mosques, and schools through digital government services, community programs, and Quran education initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Religious and Charitable Services Administration

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shariah Governance, Compliance & Advisory (Shariah Boards, Audit, Fatwa) (FSABAGAJ), Hajj & Umrah Travel Agencies (THAKAHAA)

Keywords

• Government religious services
• Islamic charitable activities
• Mosque management oversight
• Quran education programs
• Hajj and Umrah coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Funded through Dubai government budget allocations as a public sector department responsible for Islamic affairs and charitable oversight.
2. Charitable Donations & Zakat Collection: Facilitates collection and distribution of donations, Zakat, Sadaqah, and charitable contributions for underprivileged families and charitable causes under Sharia compliance.
3. Mosque Maintenance & Sponsorship Contributions: Community members contribute to mosque care packages (maintenance, cleaning, carpets, AC, umbrellas) and Quran provision through the Fareej Mosques initiative with tiered donation packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IACAD is the Dubai government department responsible for regulating and delivering Islamic religious services, charitable activities, and mosque management across the emirate. It issues licenses for mosques and charitable associations, coordinates Hajj/Umrah services, delivers Quran education and memorization programs, manages waqf (endowments), and operates community programs including Ramadan initiatives, family services, and Quran competitions. Services are delivered free of charge through a 24/7 e-services portal, the Dulook DXB mobile app, physical service centers, cultural Islamic centers, and the Dubai mosque network.

Product overview

IACAD operates as a government department providing a comprehensive digital ecosystem of religious, charitable, and community services. The core offerings include the e-Services portal for online transactions, the دلوك DXB mobile app for prayer times, the Dubai AI chatbot for automated inquiries, and digital archives for fatwas and Friday sermons. Community initiatives include the Fareej Mosques contribution platform, Quran memorization programs (Mutawaa Al-Freej, Imam Al-Freej, Mutawwa Al-Freej), the Hajj and Umrah service management system, and the Ajyal school program. The department also manages the Dubai International Holy Quran Award and various Ramadan initiatives. Services are delivered through website portals, mobile applications (iOS/Android), Microsoft Teams for events, and in-person at physical centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• دُلوك DXB (Dulook DXB): Mobile application for calculating prayer times automatically for countries worldwide, issued by the department as a reliable government religious application
• Dubai International Holy Quran Award
• Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Holy Quran Competition

Products and services

• Dulook DXB (دلوك) Mobile Application Mobile application for iOS and Android that automatically calculates and displays accurate prayer times for Dubai and all countries worldwide. Issued by IACAD as the first and most accurate prayer time application issued by a government religious authority, available free to Muslim users.
• e-Services Portal Comprehensive electronic services portal providing appointment booking, charity association directory, mosque contribution management, initiative registration (Imam Al-Freij, Mutawaa Al-Freej), Hajj registration, fatwa inquiry services, and access to informative and interactive services for all IACAD service categories.
• Fareej Mosques (مساجد الفريج) Contribution System Digital platform enabling Dubai community members to contribute financially to mosque care through tiered sponsorship packages including full mosque maintenance (Dh5,000/month), carpet sponsorship (Dh16,000-256,000), AC renewal (Dh54,750-876,000), umbrella/shade sponsorship, and Quran provision for new mosques.
• Fatwa Archive (أرشيف الفتاوى) Online archive providing public access to religious rulings (fatwas) issued by IACAD on various Islamic matters, available through the e-services portal for public reference and Islamic guidance.
• Friday Sermon (خطبة الجمعة) Digital Archive Digital archive providing public access to Friday sermons delivered in Dubai mosques, available through the e-services portal for worshippers' reference and study.
• Hajj and Umrah Services Comprehensive Hajj and Umrah management service including organizing Hajj missions for Dubai government, supervising travel agencies operating Hajj/Umrah services, providing religious guidance to pilgrims, coordinating with Saudi and UAE authorities, and producing downloadable publications on Hajj and Umrah jurisprudence.
• Dubai International Holy Quran Award International competition and award program recognizing excellence in Quran memorization, recitation, and Tajweed among Quran learners worldwide. Hosted under IACAD's auspices as a flagship recognition event.
• Dubai AI Chatbot Service AI-powered chatbot (Dubai AI) integrated into the IACAD website that handles user inquiries, provides automated responses about services, prayer times, religious information, and departmental matters, available 24/7 as a quick-access support channel.
• Adahi (Udhiyah) Sacrifice Project Standardized sacrifice project coordinated by IACAD with accredited charities for Hajj season, offering tiered per-sacrifice pricing to ensure fairness, transparency, and verified distribution of sacrifice meat to underprivileged families in Dubai and abroad.
• Imam Al-Freij Initiative Community-based Quran memorization and religious education initiative delivered through IACAD's mosque network for children and youth aged 6-21. Has engaged 2,136+ registered participants across 80+ mosques with 91 instructors running 180 educational circles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 13 new mosques opened in Q1 2026 with Dh162 million investment and capacity for 10,400+ worshippers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ONE ECMcoreTechnology or Integration · 18 May 2026Technical partnership with ONE ECM to develop the Dubai Archive infrastructure — an advanced digital system for managing and preserving government, semi-government, and historical documents and knowledge assets across Dubai. Five cooperation agreements were signed with government entities as part of the pilot phase.
• Dubai Government Entities (5 cooperation agreements)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Five cooperation agreements signed with government and semi-government entities as part of the Dubai Archive pilot phase, supporting unified archiving policies across Dubai's government sector.
• Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2026Strategic partnership for the Dubai Archive project — a national initiative to establish an advanced digital archiving system for managing government, semi-government, and historical documents. The foundation announced the launch of Dubai Archive to unify archiving policies across Dubai's government sector.
• Accredited Charitable Associations in DubaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Coordination with IACAD-accredited charities to implement the standardized Adahi (Udhiyah) sacrifice project for Hajj 2026 (1447 AH), ensuring price standardization, transparency, and fairness in service delivery. Pricing was set under strict controls to ensure sacrifices reach underprivileged families.
• Emarat EV Charging Stations Company (UAEV)coreTechnology or Integration · 8 April 2026Eight-year agreement to install electric vehicle charging stations at selected mosque parking areas across Dubai. The project covers installation, maintenance, performance monitoring, smart payment systems, and a mobile application for locating charging points, aligning with Dubai's smart city and environmental goals.
• Prime Medical CareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026Cooperation with Prime Medical Care to deploy mobile medical units offering free health screenings at public parks including Quranic Park, Kite Beach, and Nad Al Sheba Park during Ramadan. Services include eye examinations, blood pressure checks, and blood glucose testing.
• Noor Dubai FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026Partnership with Noor Dubai Foundation as part of the Ramadan health screening initiative, contributing to early detection of chronic diseases and healthier lifestyles among Dubai residents through free medical tests at public parks.
• Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership under the Ajyal program to enhance religious awareness among school students in Dubai. The twinning agreement aims to build bridges of mutual understanding, deliver interactive lectures, workshops, and dialogues with qualified religious educators across 26 private schools, targeting students, parents, and teaching staff. Also coordinates the Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Quran Competition for schools.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Muslim Pro (Bitsmedia): Privately-held global prayer app with 150M+ downloads competing directly with Dulook DXB for worldwide prayer-time users. Relevant as a commercial competitor in the digital religious-services layer where IACAD also operates, but is a product company rather than a government regulator.
• IslamicFinder (Athan Pro): Established digital prayer app and Islamic services platform providing prayer times, Qibla, Hijri calendar, and Quran features globally. Competes with Dulook DXB on consumer mindshare in the prayer-time application category where IACAD has its main consumer digital product.

Regional players

• Qatar Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Qatar's government ministry overseeing mosques, Islamic centers, Hajj/Umrah coordination, and religious publications. Operates the same end-to-end religious affairs stack as IACAD but within Qatar's domestic jurisdiction, making it a regional peer in the Gulf government-Islamic-services category.
• Oman Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs: Oman's ministry overseeing Awqaf (endowments), mosques, and religious affairs with comparable functions including Hajj coordination and Islamic publishing. Serves a different national market but mirrors IACAD's structural role as the consolidated government authority for Islamic and charitable affairs.
• Kuwait Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs: Kuwait's national ministry for Islamic endowments, mosques, Hajj/Umrah missions, and religious publications. Operates an equivalent service portfolio to IACAD including Quran memorization, charity oversight, and Friday sermon standardization, but is a national-level body in Kuwait.
• Bahrain Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments: Bahrain's government ministry combining Islamic affairs, endowments (Awqaf), and mosque oversight with a justice portfolio. Closely comparable to IACAD in mandate and Gulf-region operating context, but serves Bahrain's resident population rather than Dubai's.

Direct peers

• General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments (Awqaf), UAE: The federal UAE body for Islamic affairs and endowments (Awqaf), operating alongside IACAD across the UAE. Shares the core mandate of regulating mosques, imams, charitable endowments, and Islamic content, with overlapping jurisdiction in Dubai but a federal rather than emirate-level remit.
• Saudi Arabia Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance: The Saudi government ministry responsible for Islamic affairs oversight, mosque management, Hajj/Umrah coordination, and religious guidance across the Kingdom. The most direct counterpart to IACAD at a larger national scale, with a comparable mandate covering mosques, imams, religious publications, and charitable oversight.

Others

• Dubai Islamic Bank: UAE's largest Islamic bank, regulated under Sharia governance frameworks that intersect with IACAD's religious oversight authority. Adjacent rather than directly comparable, but operates in the same Sharia-compliant ecosystem IACAD governs from a religious-affairs perspective.

Broad incumbents

• Egypt Ministry of Awqaf: Egypt's long-established ministry managing one of the largest mosque networks and religious affairs portfolios in the Arab world. Shares IACAD's three-pillar structure (mosques, Islamic affairs, charitable work) at vastly greater scale, making it a broader-incumbent reference point for IACAD's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/IACADDUBAI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IACADDUBAI
• Facebookfacebook.com/IACADDUBAI
• Instagraminstagram.com/iacaddubai

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department