Why is it that most zakat centers are 'more strict' in approving zakat aid? For example, early education, medical, surau repair and mosque facilities were easier to approve.

In order to clarify this issue it is best to look at the following formula, that economic sustainability will have a direct impact on zakat. The simpler is that, when the economy of the country increases, zakat will also increase. Likewise, the opposite. It is directly proportional to a straight line graph.

Therefore, zakat can be regarded as a measure of the welfare of a nation. Increased in zakat symbolizes the well-being of the nation. This is because economic stability that stimulates the increase of zakat will not be achieved without the existence of social and political stability.

The performance of zakat and social, economic and political stability are mutually related (symbiosis). This is the uniqueness of zakat and economy. In relation to the above questions, regarding the difficulty in zakat distribution, it is closely related to the current economic situation.

What has become of the issue, the extent to which the increased distribution of zakat can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. This can not escape the level of economic prosperity. For example, the strength of the ringgit and the price of goods affects the number of recipients of zakat. Without economic stability, it means that zakat recipients are increasing but the distribution is shrinking.

On the other hand, the increase of zakat rate during the year is also not very accurate to symbolize the overall status of the well-being of the people in Selangor. This is because the amount of zakat payers in Selangor is still low. As of 2015, only 256,001 people paid their property zakat, as opposed to the actual potential of more than 3 million Muslims (less than 10 percent paying zakat).

 

Why Difficult to Approve the Applications

Even though it looks zakat money is big, but the fact that the need is much greater. It has become huge due to two factors, increasing the number of recipients (asnaf) and the cost of asnaf living.

Simple example, in our house there is a water tank capable of holding a day water of 1,000 cubic meters (m3); but at the same time our family's water needs is 1,500 m3 per day. So, let the filled water be full (reach the target); It still can not cope with the need. That is what happens in the zakat management world today, especially in Selangor.

The economic conditions that hit the world today, particularly in Malaysia, such as the drop in crude oil prices, the depreciation of the ringgit and the rising prices of goods, have a direct impact on the cost of living. The ringgit's depreciation led to inflation, which is more money needed to get a product or service.

On the zakat management side, changes in the cost of living caused a major change in all eight zakat asnaf expenses. Not just the cost of monthly aid the poor, even the cost of university education in the public, private and outside the country today is not the same anymore. The ringgit's downfall cause zakat management to provide greater costs for students under the asnaf fisabilillah.

Thus, zakat management must be wise to make modifications in the budget. Fiqh al-awlawiyat (fiqah preferences) should be implemented, according to the concept of necessity (daruriyyah), desire (hajiyyah) and luxury (tahsiniyyah). This concept is also matched with Maqasid Syariah, which is primarily aids involving religion, life, intellect, heredity and wealth in the distribution of zakat.

If there are two applications that come to the zakat center, the first involving a patient who is on the verge of death, and he/she had many dependents, and the second application to install new carpet in the mosque, then surely the first application must be accepted. It is daruriyyah, involving aspects of life (Maqasid Syariah); while the second application is only tahsiniyyah.

This should be developed to all other aspects. In the Islamic side, zakat management is have to wisely control the distribution of zakat in such risky situations. 

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Date of Input: 25/01/2019 | Updated: 07/01/2021 | rizal_helmi