Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar: Zakat Must Not Be Used Outside of the Eight Designated Beneficiaries

Wed, 25 Feb 2026, 23:10 WIB | By Cahya Mulyana | Source: MEDIA_INDONESIA | Social Policy

Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar has affirmed that Zakat must not be used or allocated outside the provisions of the eight designated beneficiary groups (asnaf) as stipulated in the Quran.

This statement was made to refute misinformation claiming that the Ministry of Religion intends to maximize Zakat funds for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program.

“Zakat must not be used outside of its designated beneficiaries. It is important that Zakat is not given to those who are not among the asnaf. This is a matter of Islamic law,” said the Minister in Jakarta on Wednesday (February 25th).

The Minister stated that Zakat has strict Islamic rules and must not be used outside the established recipient groups. He referred to the verse in Surah At-Taubah, verse 60, which explains the eight groups (asnaf) who are eligible to receive Zakat.

The verse mentions that Zakat is intended for the poor (those who do not have assets or jobs to meet their basic needs) and the needy (those who have jobs but their income is not enough to meet their daily needs).

Then, there are the administrators (officials who are appointed to manage Zakat), new converts to Islam, slaves, those in debt, those who are struggling in the way of Allah, and travelers.

“I think that is very important. Give Zakat as it is stated in the asnaf. I think that is very important. Do not give Zakat to those who are not entitled,” said the Minister.

Previously, the Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Public Communication of the Ministry of Religion, Thobib Al Asyhar, also stated that there are currently no policies regarding the distribution of Zakat that are linked to the MBG.

“There is no Zakat policy for the MBG. We ensure that the distribution of Zakat is carried out in accordance with Islamic law and regulations,” he said.

According to Thobib, Article 25 of Law No. 23 of 2011 concerning the Management of Zakat, stipulates that Zakat must be distributed to those who are eligible according to Islamic law. Those who are eligible are called mustahik.

Meanwhile, Article 26 states that the distribution of Zakat, as referred to in Article 25, is carried out based on a priority scale, paying attention to the principles of equality, justice, and regionality.

“Zakat is a trust from the community that must be protected and distributed in accordance with Islamic law. The rights of the mustahik are a priority in every Zakat management policy,” he said.

Thobib also stated that the management of Zakat is carried out professionally, transparently, and accountably through official institutions that are supervised and audited regularly, both through the National Zakat Amil Agency (Baznas) and the Zakat Amil Agency (LAZ). (Ant/P-3)

The National Zakat Amil Agency has set the income Zakat threshold for 2026 at IDR 7,640,144 per month or IDR 91,68 million per year based on the price of 14-carat gold.

The Ministry of Religion is targeting that the funds for the Operational Assistance for the Implementation of Raudhatul Athfal and the First Phase of Madrasah BOS for 2026 will be disbursed before Eid al-Fitr.

Check the schedule for the imsak (time before dawn) in Jakarta and its surroundings today, February 23, 2026. Complete with the times for Subuh (dawn prayer), Dzuhur (noon prayer), Asar (afternoon prayer), Maghrib (sunset prayer), and Isya (evening prayer) for Ramadan 1447 H.

A member of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives is optimistic that the process of transferring the authority for the implementation of the Hajj from the Ministry of Religion to the Ministry of Hajj will not disrupt the quality of Hajj services in 2026.

Check the official schedule for the imsak in Medan for the 2nd of Ramadan 1447 H / February 20, 2026 from the Ministry of Religion. Complete with the times for Subuh, Maghrib, and today’s prayer schedule.

The National Zakat Amil Agency (Baznas) has affirmed that Zakat, infak, and sadaqah (ZIS) funds collected from muzaki (Zakat payers) and the community will not be used to finance the MBG program.

The National Zakat Amil Agency (Baznas) is presenting the Jalan Cahaya Pesantren Program during Ramadan 1447 H at 20 locations throughout Indonesia during the holy month.

The Head of the Bureau of Public Relations and Public Communication of the Ministry of Religion, Thobib Al Asyhar, stated that there are currently no policies regarding the distribution of Zakat that are linked to the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG).

The main message of Ramadan, which always leads to the value of piety, must be understood broadly.

The Chairman of Commission VIII of the DPR RI, Marwan Dasopang, expressed his support for strengthening the regulations of the National Zakat Amil Agency.

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