Baznas reveals why allocations to amil exceed those for fakir and garim

Jakarta — The National Amil Zakat Agency (Baznas) of the Republic of Indonesia explained the reason for zakat, infak, and sadaqah (ZIS) fund allocations to amil or zakat administrators being larger than those for fakir and garim, i.e., people in need and those in debt who are eligible for zakat. This response followed a viral post on X of Baznas RI’s 2023/2024 financial statements. The report shows that the allocation for amil was Rp83,165,311,532, while fakir and garim were Rp55,554,330,122 and Rp350,909,004 (2023) respectively; and the allocation for amil was Rp107,658,965,760, while fakir and garim were Rp63,814,338,121 and Rp1,544,478,794 (2024). There are eight asnaf or categories entitled to zakat: fakir, miskin (the poor), amil, mualaf, hamba sahaya (slavery – now obsolete), garim, fisabilillah, and ibnusabil (a traveller on a journey not for the purpose of sin). Rizaludin Kurniawan, Baznas RI’s Head of Collecting, insisted that the amil funds in the report are not merely salaries and allowances for amil, but also institutional operating costs. “Zakat funds allocated for the asnaf amil are not wholly used for basic salaries, allowances, and amil assistance,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday. Rizaludin noted several programmes such as institutional costs in serving muzaki and mustahik, training and certification costs, zakat socialisation costs to the public, external audit needs, and national coordination costs are also included in the amil funds. He also confirmed that zakat funds allocated to amil comply with Q.S. At-Taubah verse 60, Law No. 23 of 2011 on Zakat Management; Minister of Religious Affairs RI Decree No. 606 of 2020 on Guidelines for Sharia Audit of the Implementation Report on the Management of Zakat, Infak, Sadaqah and Other Religious Social Funds at Baznas and Lembaga Amil Zakat; MUI Fatwa No. 8 of 2011 on Amil Zakat; and PerBAZNAS No. 1 of 2016, i.e., 12.5 percent or one-eighth. “Disbursement to all mustahik asnaf is made at seven-eighths, with proportions adjusted to Baznas’s needs and programmes,” he said. Rizaludin explained that the amount allocated to each asnaf depends on the conditions. In practice, the management of fakir’s disbursement is supported by the miskin asnaf, so these two asnaf receive allocations above 50 percent. As for the fisabilillah asnaf, it is earmarked to support the strengthening of da’wah movements, both individually and institutionally, such as scholarships, teacher incentives, ustazs, and, according to MUI fatwas, could be used for disaster relief. “Disbursement for fisabilillah, which is large, includes Baznas’s scholarships to mustahik and da’wah assistance,” said Rizaludin Kurniawan.