Baznas: Zakat is more than a fiscal ritual, it is an engine for redistributing knowledge

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Vice Chairman of the National Zakat Agency (Baznas) of the Republic of Indonesia, Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi, stated that zakat is not merely a fiscal ritual, but rather an engine of civilisation and a primary foundation for the resurgence of scientific knowledge in the Nusantara region.

He made these remarks during the Celebration of the Session of Poets and Literature in Nusantara, held at Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, on 16 May 2026.

“Zakat is an instrument of civilisation. In Islamic history, from the era of Caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz to the era of the scholars of Nusantara, zakat is not just a fiscal ritual; it is an engine for the redistribution of knowledge and welfare, which has enabled the growth of madrasas, pesantren, study circles, and great literary works,” Zainut said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.

Zainut noted that community funds play a strategic role in building an educational ecosystem and preserving the intellectual wealth inherited from the great poets of this archipelago.

“The existence of community funds through zakat, infaq, and waqf has proven to be a main pillar supporting the growth of literacy and the development of literature in Nusantara to this day,” he added.

Zainut also emphasised that this forum holds a very strategic position for the future of literacy and science. He stated that the activity is an effort to ensure that the intellectual heritage of past scholars remains preserved and is not lost to the passage of time.

“It is not merely an academic celebration. It is a collective pledge that we, the current generation, will not allow the scientific traditions of the scholars and poets of Nusantara to be swallowed by time,” said Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi.