Reporter: Nuraini Lyna Wulandari

FSH Building UIN Online - The effort to alleviate poverty is the challenge of the Islamic world since the past. Zakat, infaq, and shadaqah (ZIS) and the existence of channeling institution of zakat are expected to be useful. But the current ZIS fund channelingi nstitutions still need to be managed professionally.

Those are some of the conclusions of the seminar on the introduction of Zakat which was held in the theater hall on the second floor of Faculty of Shari'a and Law (FSH), Monday, (12 / 7). The seminar which presented Urip Budiarto as keynote speaker was held by the cooperation of FSH and Dompet Dhuafa Republika Foundation.

According to Budi, to create a professional ZIS institution one must see the social fund opportunities existing around the community. Besides that, ZIS institutions should not hesitate to reach their target, because only Allah knows the limit of man’s capability. Lack of professional distribution of alms, he said, would boost the level of poverty.

"But if charity reaches Rp 19.9 trillion per year, then poverty will certainly be reduced in Indonesia," he said.

Quoting from the data of a research by the Center for the Study of Religion and Culture (CSRC) UIN Jakarta, Budi said that zakat that is collected can actually reach 9.19 trillion per year. However, in reality only around Rp 350 billion of zakat can be collected from muzaki in Indonesia. It certainly raises questions to the majority of Indonesian people who are predominantly Muslim.

When it comes to state tax, especially income tax which is assumed at 5 percent levied on the income, people are required to pay for it to be included as the national income. While people find it hard to only donate alms of 2.5 percent on the basis of the command of Allah. The reason for this is that Muslims are fearful to donate their wealth.

The fear is caused by several events in the distribution of ZIS. Therefore, it is recommended that the muzaki be given a solution on how to actualize their sense of generosity by providing comfort in the distribution of their ZIS.

On the other hand for the poor, the institution bridges them in proposing their needs to improve their quality of life and the maintenance of their pride than dealing directly with the donor.

"If we are able to organize a charity of 2.5 percent per person from Rp 100 million per year which comes to around Rp 20 million per year and is then multiplied by 116 million workers in Indonesia then we are able generate Rp 3 trillion of Zakat. With that amount of money, we can reduce about 40 million poor people in Indonesia, "he further explained. (elve/nuraini lyna wulandari)