Bahrul Hayat attending the evidentiary hearing of the judicial review of Law No. 23 of 2011 on Zakat Management, Monday (8/4/2025). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

---

JAKARTA (MKRI) — Bahrul Hayat, expert for the President, emphasized the urgency of implementing a unified zakat management system to strengthen zakat’s role as a tool for social protection and development. This system calls for national-level integration in governance and coordination to improve zakat collection, service efficiency, and transparency.

Testifying at the sixth hearing of Case No. 54/PUU-XXIII/2025, Bahrul explained that the system mandated by Law No. 23 of 2011 reflects the state’s responsibility to manage zakat in an integrated and equitable way. He stressed the need for both horizontal integration among zakat institutions and vertical integration from national to regional levels.

“The unified system aligns with Islamic law. Law No. 23 of 2011 designates the National Zakat Agency (Baznas) to manage zakat nationally. LAZ (Zakat Management Institutions) supports Baznas in fulfilling its legal mandate and must be seen as partners assisting the state in zakat governance,” he said.

Bahrul, a lecturer at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah and former Secretary-General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, also asserted that LAZ's role should not be misinterpreted as discriminatory. Instead, their existence complements Baznas in collecting and utilizing zakat. He supported Baznas’s authority to recommend the LAZ establishment as a way to ensure their professionalism and alignment with the unified system.

“This ensures zakat is managed according to sharia and law. Baznas’s authority to recommend LAZ is legitimate and necessary for optimal zakat management,” he added.

 

Also read:

Petitioners Urge Baznas Be Made Zakat Manager, Supervisor

Petitioners Challenge Legal Barriers to Zakat Management

House Explains Baznas and LAZ

Government Clarifies the Purpose of Establishing Zakat Collection Units

Expert: Baznas’ Dual Role Conflicts with Rule of Law

 

The petition was filed by Muhammad Jazir (Petitioner I) and Indonesia Zakat Watch (Petitioner II), challenging multiple articles in Law No. 23 of 2011 for being unconstitutional. They argued that Baznas’s dual role as regulator and operator hinders fair competition and opens the door to arbitrary practices.

They proposed transforming Baznas into the Zakat Regulation and Oversight Agency (BPPZ), which would relinquish its role in collecting zakat. LAZ would then manage ZIS (zakat, infaq, alms) funds under BPPZ supervision. A two-year transition period was suggested.

The Petitioners also criticized the implementation of Article 16(1), which allows Baznas to establish Zakat Collection Units (UPZ). In practice, they argued, Baznas has forced community groups to affiliate with it under the pretext of forming UPZ.

Author: Sri Pujianti
Editor: N. Rosi
PR: Andhini SF

Translator: Yuanna Sisilia

Read the full petition (in Indonesian): Petition for Case No. 54/PUU-XXIII/2025

Disclaimer: The original version of this news article is in Indonesian. In case of any discrepancy, the Indonesian version shall prevail.

---