On Monday, October 9, 2023, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) was held by online platform, focusing on the zakat core principles (ZCP). ZCP is an initiative first launched on May 23-24, 2016, during the United Nations Humanitarian High-Level Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, and has now become a pivotal subject in the realm of sharia-compliant social finance. The event was attended by various key stakeholders in zakat management, including Dr. Ahmad Juwaini, Director of Sharia Social Finance at the National Committee on Islamic Economic and Financial Affairs; Arifin Purwakananta from the Deputy I Division of Collection at BAZNAS RI; Muhibuddin, S.Fil.I, ME, QIA, SAS-Zakat, serving as the Sub-Director for Accreditation and Audit of Zakat Institutions at the Directorate of Zakat and Waqf Empowerment, Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance, Ministry of Religious Affairs; and Dananta Adi Nugraha as Director of Audit, Compliance, and Risk Management at BAZNAS RI.
ZCP has classified 18 principles within six main regulatory aspects, namely:
• Legal foundation
• Zakat supervision
• Zakat governance
• Intermediary functions
• Risk management
• Sharia governance
The objective of this FGD is to formulate a study that specifically addresses the latest issues in zakat institution management on a global scale. The focus is primarily on the principles of Country and Transfer Risk, as well as Reputation and Abuse of Zakat Services. It is hoped that a better understanding of these principles will drive the development of zakat institutions with consistent and high-quality standards across various Muslim countries. However, as of now, only six out of the 18 ZCPs have been elaborated in Technical Notes. During the FGD, Dr. Ahmad Juwaini emphasized that "the ZCP's role is as guidance to ensure that zakat regulations that may lead to mistakes are not repeated."
This FGD marks a significant step in improving global zakat governance and ensuring that zakat, as one of the pillars of Islam, has a more significant positive impact in aiding those in need worldwide.
Rep. PUSKAS BAZNAS