Baznas: Zakat Potential In Indonesia Reaches IDR 327 Trillion

The Head of the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) for the Collection of Rizaludin Kurniawan. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The head of the National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) for the Collection of Rizaludin Kurniawan said that zakat literacy in society is still a challenge in efforts to optimize the potential for national zakat.

Based on the results of Baznas' calculations, Indonesia's zakat potential reaches IDR 327 trillion. This potential is still far from the realization of zakat fundraising in 2023 which has only reached 10 percent of the potential or IDR 33 trillion.

In 2024, Baznas targets zakat funds to be collected in the amount of IDR 41 trillion.

"The challenge is mainly literacy, in line with the development of the sharia economy as a whole. In the sharia economic industry, challenges are indeed in sharia literacy. And in this case, zakat literacy," said Rizaludin, in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Wednesday, March 27.

According to Baznas' research, he explained that actually the community had issued zakat directly of around Rp. 61 trillion. The zakat is distributed directly to beneficiaries and not through official institutions such as Baznas.

Therefore, Rizaludin said that his party is currently continuing to strive so that the direct zakat funds can switch to collecting them in official institutions.

"So we continue to literacy that there are licensed zakat management institutions. Now the number (of zakat managers) is almost 700, both owned by the government and the community," he also said.

Rizaludin said Baznas was actively working with a number of stakeholders to intensify zakat literacy, such as through collaboration with the government, campus, and religious leaders.

Baznas also maximizes all communication channels to deliver zakat literacy, especially during the month of Ramadan.

In addition to the problem of zakat literacy, the availability of payment channels also includes other challenges in an effort to optimize the potential for zakat.

Most people, said Rizaludin, already have the awareness to pay zakat, but are still confused about the accessable zakat payment channel.

"Our homework increases the number of paying channels, it can be everywhere. So Baznas cooperates with nearly 130 digital channels, cooperation with the main banks of course Islamic banks. However, our conventional banks are still working together," he said again.

Rizaludin also said that the collection of zakat funds grew well from year to year.

Although this year only targets IDR 41 trillion, he is optimistic that the zakat funds collected can reach a potential of IDR 327 trillion in the coming years after going through good growth from year to year.

"Interestingly, 70 percent of muzakki are 40 years of age and 30 percent are 40 years and over. In young groups, this trend continues to rise. According to Baznas research, the middle group Muslim who are aware of zakat will continue to strengthen in 2030-2045. Maybe that's where we can get close to almost half (half of the potential for national zakat)," said Rizaludin.