Building the ummah: Why Muslim leaders are gathering in Istanbul

Muslim leaders from around the world, including Australia, are gathering in Istanbul from Monday 13 to Saturday 18 July for The Prophetic Strategy Summit (TPSS) 2026, an intensive gathering where scholars, strategists, and practitioners coordinate solutions to systemic challenges facing the ummah.

It’s not a typical conference. There are no celebrity speakers on rotating stages. No inspirational talks designed for LinkedIn clips.

Instead, delegates from different sectors sit together in working sessions asking one question: how do we actually build something that lasts? A lawyer learns about strategy. An engineer learns about policy. A teacher learns about business. A founder learns about Islamic jurisprudence.

One Australian attendee described it simply: “It represents where we’re at as an ummah right now — we’re talented, young, and hopeful, but we’re asking: how do we coordinate all this talent to actually create lasting change?”

This year TPSS returns bigger and more intentional. The scholars are there: Sheikh Dr Yasir Qadhi, Dr Wadah Khanfar, Sheikh Dr Haitham Al-Haddad, Dr Bilal Philips, and others at the forefront of Islamic thought.

The practitioners are there: strategists from tech, finance, media, education, and law. The young leaders are there too — ages 16-25 — in dedicated tracks (Aspiring Leaders for ages 16-18, Emerging Leaders for ages 19-25) learning to think strategically about their futures.

One attendee from the previous summit captured the value: “Of the thousands of conferences I’ve attended, this is the best I have ever seen.” Another noted the cross-sector learning: “There’s a lot of cross-pollination happening. We all come out a lot more informed in the other disciplines.”

Sheikh Dr Haitham Al-Haddad emphasises the Islamic foundation: “You are the best nation produced for mankind,” from the Quran. “But that khairiyyah — excellence — isn’t automatic. It requires builders. It requires strategy. It requires the room. This event you need to be there.” The summit is not about motivation. It’s about work.

For the 400+ delegates attending, it’s where Muslim strategy actually gets coordinated. Applications are open now at www.tpss.global for all three tracks: Professional Leaders, Aspiring Leaders (16-18), and Emerging Leaders (19-25).