Religious Affairs Minister Encourages Wealthy Muslims to Expand Contributions Beyond Zakat

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, has invited Muslims, especially the wealthy, not to be limited to fulfilling the minimum standards of religious obligations in paying Zakat, but to expand their contributions through instruments of Sadaqah, Infak, Hibah, and Waqf.

“If Muslims only focus on the 2.5 percent figure, then the vast economic potential of the community will not be realized. The Minister wants to emphasize that Muslim generosity must go far beyond that figure through Sadaqah and Infak, which are not limited to a specific percentage,” said the Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Public Communication of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Thobib Al Asyhar, in Jakarta, Thursday.

The statement was made in response to a viral clip of a statement about “abandoning Zakat.” According to Thobib, the video was cut and taken out of its full context.

According to him, if listened to in its entirety, the Minister’s statement is an invitation to Muslims who are able to not only fulfill the minimum obligation of 2.5 percent, but to move towards broader generosity.

“As explained by the Minister, historically during the time of Prophet Muhammad and his companions, the spirit that was built was to give without limits (Sadaqah), not just to fulfill annual obligations (Zakat),” he said.

However, the use of funds other than Zakat, such as Hibah, Infak, and Sadaqah, has high flexibility to help fellow human beings regardless of religious background, including helping other neglected places of worship or starving people from different faiths.

“Zakat has strict Asnaf rules. Therefore, to reach a broader humanitarian issue, Muslims need to activate other funds such as Infak and Hibah as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad,” said Thobib.

The Minister’s invitation, said Thobib Al Asyhar, is also aimed at Islamic economists to create an ecosystem where Muslims do not feel “satisfied” just by paying Zakat.

By comparing the interest rates of modern financial instruments which can reach 6 to 9 percent, the Minister reminds wealthy Muslims to be more generous. For example, if they are willing to spend large amounts for worldly investments, they should not only be content with 2.5 percent for investments in the afterlife.

“The Ministry of Religious Affairs appeals to the public to see the Minister’s statement in its entirety as an effort to accelerate the generosity of the community. Zakat remains a pillar of Islam that must be fulfilled, but ideally, Zakat should be the starting point, while Sadaqah and Infak become a lifestyle that is not limited in amount,” said Thobib.