Zakat Distribution in Maqasid Al-Shariah Framework

Abstract

Zakat is a form of responsibility for wealthy Moslems (muzakki) to spend certain amount of their wealth to be distributed to certain groups of people (mustahiq) that have been specified in Islam. This research aims at investigating how the zakat is managed by the Zakat Funds Organizer of Bangkalan Regency within maqasid alshariah framework. The core of maqasid al-shariah is for pursuing good deeds and avoiding bad ones, or getting manfa’ah (advantage) and rejecting mudharat (loss). In other words, the purpose of this framework is to gain maslahah (benefit), which is in line with the main purpose of the establishment of Islamic law is to create benefit in order to maintain the objectives of shariah. The distribution of zakat by the Zakat Funds Organizer (ZFO) of Bangkalan has suited with the maqasid al-shariah framework. This was proven by the fulfillment of most of the indicators in maqasid al-shariah by the organizer in that region. Maintenance of religion indicator can be met by three of the seven zakat organizations, actually the four other organizations have the appropriate program, but the program is using infaq (alms) and shadaqah (charity) funds, so it does not correspond to the indicators in this study.