Amazing! Zakat Potential of Bandung City Reaches Rp1,6 Trillion. Let Us Pay Our Dues
Zakat potential in the city of flower can apparently reach Rp1,6 trillion. With this fantastic number, it is hoped that it could help address poverty issues in Bandung City.
The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) of Bandung City said that such potential in the city could reach Rp1,6 trillion. The fantastic number is hoped to be able to address poverty issues in Bandung City. The data show that there are 62.000 of mustahik (zakat receivers) in Bandung City.
The Head of Baznas Gathering Division of Bandung City, Arif Nurakhman, said that from this potential, in 2021, Baznas of Bandung City had collected zakat reaching Rp88 billion.
“We collected through four LAZ, resulting in Rp88 billion of zakat. It consists of zakat fitrah, zakat mal with its derivations such as agriculture, salary, and developing businesses,” Arief said in his office, Wednesday, 6 April 2022.
To reach the number of zakat potential, Arif stated several steps that would Baznas of Bandung City take, one of them was through “Sadar Zakat”.
Particularly, since the pandemic hit, zakat maal collection in Bandung City saw a decline from Rp2,6 billion to Rp2,2 billion.
Additionally, zakat fitrah was declined from Rp34,6 billion in 2020 to Rp33,7 billion in 2021.
“We have collaborated with karang taruna to create Sadar Zakat Movement. The scheme is through socialization and zakat education. It can be in a form of counselling and community service,” he said.
“Starting from creating infak movement first and collect it together. So, it can raise people’s awareness of zakat,” Arif said.
In addition, another measure is optimizing facilities and infrastructures of fundraising through digital optimization. Also, utilizing public connections in Bandung City itself.
“Raising awareness of zakat must involve all elements of the public. So, we also collaborate with ikatan pedagang muslimah in every sub-district. Not to mention optimizing Zakat Management Organization (OPZ) in every sub-district,” he emphasized.
Although, he believed, zakat awareness in Bandung was considered sufficient, but it must be raised in terms of the understanding or comprehension of it.
“The awareness is pretty good, but for their understanding, it is still limited in zakat fitrah. Although, in fact, there are two types of zakat: zakat fitrah and zakat maal,” he said.
Zakat fitrah is an obligation paid at the end of Ramadan. Its purpose is to clean oneself and one’s wealth.
“Zakat fitrah is mandatory for all muslims, whether or not they are working or still dependent to their family,” he said.
Additionally, zakat fitrah also gives happiness to the poor to keep feeling it in Eid Mubarak.
On the other hand, Arif stated that Zakat maal could be paid after reaching a certain amount of time or values.
“If the wealth/assets with great potential to grow have been accumulated equal with 85 gram of gold in that year. Or if they have been accumulated for 1 year,” Arif said.
Although zakat potential is huge, Arif believed zakat could not replace taxes. However, it could help decrease taxation.
In addition to zakat, Arif added that huge potential to decrease poverty rate could also be from infaq and shadaqah.
Some programs funded by zakat, infak, and shadaqah collected by Baznas of Bandung City are: education, social, health, dakwah advocation, and economy.
For your information, through the circular letter of BAZNAS of West Java Province No 236/BAZNAS-JABAR/IV/2022, Baznas of West Java Province officially released the number of zakat fitrah in 1443 H/2022 M for Bandung City was Rp32.000 (din)*
The Head of the Communication and Informatics Agency of Bandung City
Yayan A. Brilyana
