Shofian Ahmad

The Social Challenges in Implementing Zakat among Bangkok’s Muslim Community

Nowadays, there are three major institutions which are officially responsible for managing the zakat affairs of the Muslim community in Bangkok, namely the Bangkok Islamic Religious Council, Bangkok Islamic Center Foundation and Santichon Bangkok Foundation. These three institutions face social challenges which are part of the obstacles towards the enhancement of the role of zakat among the Muslim society in Bangkok. Those social challenges can be divided into three aspects, namely the understanding, attitude and appreciation of the Muslim society towards zakat obligations. The study is based on interviews with Muslim leaders in Thailand namely Arron Boochom, the President of Bangkok Islamic Religious Council; Ismail Ali, an Adviser to the Islamic Centre of Bangkok; Banson bin Kasan, a Committee Member of Santichon Islamic Foundation; Samad Matlulim, the President of the Central Foundation Bangkok; Prasert Wongsan, the Deputy President of Santichon Islamic Foundation and Issra Santhisath, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University. Based on the findings, these social challenges must be continously addressed by all parties in the Muslim society to ensure that the management of zakat in Bangkok will generate positive benefits enhancing the prosperity of sosio-economic life of Muslim society in Bangkok. Some recommendations are suggested in order to overcome the social challenges, namely the promotion of zakat forums, implemention of a population census and the establishment of zakat law in Thailand.

PERANAN PEMERINTAH DALAM PENGURUSAN ZAKAT DI INDONESIA DAN MALAYSIA (The Role of Goverment in Management of Zakat in Indonesia and Malaysia)

ABSTRAK Zakat merupakan salah satu daripada rukun Islam yang lima. Hukum menunaikan zakat adalah wajib ke atas semua orang muslim. Namun masih ramai yang belum melaksanakannya. Menurut kajian yang dijalankan oleh Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS) dan Islamic Development Bank (IDB) potensi zakat di Indonesia pada 2012 sebesar Rp.217 trilion (RM58 billion/USD18 billion), namun pengutipan zakat 2013 hanya Rp.2.4 trilion (RM650 juta/USD200 juta) atau sekitar satu peratus sahaja. Manakala penduduk muslim Indonesia berjumlah 210 juta orang (Statitik Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia 2012), kutipan dan agihan zakat terbilang masih jauh sekali daripada potensinya. Ketidakseimbangan antara kutipan dan potensi sebesar itu tentu menjadi masalah besar. Kajian ini memberi tumpuan membincangkan peranan pemerintah dalam pelaksanaan zakat dalam pandangan Islam dan memperbandingkan peranan pemerintah Indonesia dan Malaysia dalam pengurusan zakat. Kajian menunjukkan bahawa pandangan Islam terhadap pengurusan zakat iaitu pemerintah sebagai pengurus tunggal dan sebagai pemberi hukuman terhadap yang ingkar membayar zakat adalah sangat penting, ini kerana ianya berkaitan dengan peningkatan kesejahteraan masyarakat dan sebagai salah satu sumber kewangan negara. Di Indonesia pengurusan zakat masih dilakukan oleh institusi swasta, masyarakat mahupun individu yang sesiapa pun boleh melakukannya sama ada mempunyai kebenaran atau belum mempunyai kebenaran dari pemerintah. Sebagai natijahnya, pemerintah perlu mengambil alih pengurusan zakat, seperti yang berlaku di Malaysia dimana pengurusan zakat dilakukan oleh pemerintah/negeri sehingga kutipan terus meningkat dan agihan zakat akan berkesan, cekap dan sama rata di peringkat kebangsaan, walaupun masih ada lagi masyarakat yang boleh mengutip mahupun mengagihkan zakat tetapi mesti dengan kebenaran pemerintah. ABSTRACT Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. The law of zakat is obligatory on all muslims, but many of them still did not implement it. According to the research conducted by the Badan Amil Zakat Nasional (BAZNAS) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) potential zakat in Indonesia in 2012 amounted to Rp.217 trillion (RM58 billion/USD18 billion), but the collection of zakat in 2013 only Rp.2.1 trillion (RM650 juta/USD200 juta) or around one per cent. The Indonesian muslims population are 210 million peoples (BPS-Statistic Indonesia: 2012), but the collection and distribution of zakat distinction is still far from its potential. The imbalance between the amount collected and the potential zakat is a major problem. This paper focuses on the role of government in the implementation of zakat in Islam and confront the government of Indonesia and Malaysias role in the management of zakat. Studies show that the Islamic view on the management of the zakat as the sole ruler and as punishment for defaulting lender to pay zakat is very important, because it relates to improving the welfare of society and as one of the countrys financial resources. In Indonesia zakat management is still done by private institutions, communities and individuals that anyone can do it either with or without permission from the government. As a result the government should take over the management of zakat, as is the case in Malaysia, management of zakat is done by the government/state, so collection of zakat will increase and distribution of zakat will be effective, efficient and even at national lavel, although there are still people who can collect or distribute zakat, but must be with the consent of the government/local-state.