PBNU Ketum: Tak Ada Norma Syariat yang Larang Zakat Jadi Tax Credit
JAKARTA - The General Chairman (Ketum) of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Executive Board (PBNU), Yahya Cholil Staquf or Gus Yahya said that there is no sharia norm that prohibits corporate zakat to be a tax reduction or tax credit.
"Yes, it's actually from the perspective of syariat, yes there is no special norm about it," he said when met at the PBNU Central Office, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 22, reported by ANTARA.
Gus Yahya menilai semuanya tergantung kepada pemerintah yang memberikan peraturan terkait hal ini.
According to him, this could be done and there is no rule in Islam that prohibits corporate zakat from being a tax credit.
"If it is needed, it can be done, actually if it is not, there is actually no special regulation on this matter," said Gus Yahya.
Previously, the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Ulema Council (DSN MUI) proposed that zakat could be recognized as a full tax credit, not just a tax deduction as is currently the case.
"Our current provision is that zakat can reduce taxable income, jaditax deduction, not tax credit. We are fighting for zakat to be a tax credit, so that what is issued as zakat is also part of our tax obligations," said Chairman of the DSN Management Board MUI Cholil Nafis.
According to Cholil, the policy change will provide a fairer incentive for Muslims who have fulfilled the obligation of zakat while paying taxes to the state.
He explained that currently zakat only serves to reduce the amount of income subject to tax. In the future, the DSN MUI hopes that zakat can directly reduce the value of taxes that must be paid by taxpayers.
According to him, this policy will further encourage the community and the business world to pay zakat through official institutions, as well as strengthening the role of zakat in supporting national economic development.
"If we talk about economic growth with zakat, it does not mean that the wealth is lost. The bigger the company, the bigger the zakat. The more zakat that flows, the greater the purchasing power of the community and ultimately it will again drive the economy," said Cholil.