Baznas strengthens Indonesia's zakat and syariah cooperative ecosystem

The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) is strengthening the zakat and syariah cooperative ecosystem in Indonesia through a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with BPI Danantara, the Ministry of Cooperatives, and the Sharia Economic Community (MES).

The collaboration aims to enhance zakat, infaq, and alms (ZIS-DSKL) collection within State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) and expand social programs in health, education, and disaster relief. It also focuses on economic empowerment through mosque and pesantren-based cooperatives and entrepreneurship training for students.

Regarding data usage, Baznas Vice Chairman Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi clarified that government welfare ranking data, such as the National Socio-Economic Single Data (Regsosek), will serve as an initial database to map potential recipients. However, being in the lowest wealth deciles (Decile 1–4) does not automatically qualify an individual as a zakat recipient (mustahik), as Sharia law remains the primary determinant for distribution.