JAKARTA – The Commission for Ukhuwah Islamiyah of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of South Sulawesi Province, KH. Dzulqarnain M. Sunusi, Lc, MA, emphasized that the Government of Indonesia, through the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS), holds legitimate authority to regulate and manage zakat.
This statement was delivered in response to the judicial review of Law No. 23 of 2011 on Zakat Management currently being examined by the Constitutional Court (MK), via WhatsApp on Friday (16/5/2025).
KH. Dzulqarnain, who also serves as a member of the Ukhuwah Islamiyah Commission of MUI South Sulawesi, the caretaker of As-Sunnah Islamic Boarding School in Makassar, and a Sharia Supervisory Board member of LAZ Peduli Dakwah, stated that zakat management by the state is not only valid under national law but also has a strong foundation in Islamic jurisprudence.
"In essence, the authority to regulate, collect, allocate, and distribute zakat lies with the government. This is based on the consensus (ijma’) of classical fiqh scholars and is affirmed in the creed books (kutub al-‘aqidah) of Sunni scholars throughout history," he said.
He further emphasized that there is no scholarly disagreement on this matter. In fact, historically, the only group known to oppose state authority in managing zakat was the Khawarij, who have long been considered deviant in religious understanding.
"This issue should no longer be a subject of debate. The evidence from the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence, the consensus of scholars, and references in Sunni theological works all clearly affirm the state's authority in zakat management," he stated.
According to KH. Dzulqarnain, this is merely a matter of reminding the fundamentals. "It’s just a matter of citing the clear textual evidences. No Muslim should be in disagreement about this," he added.
Beyond its basis in sharia law, KH. Dzulqarnain also highlighted that state-managed zakat has strong justification from the perspective of public benefit (maslahah). In Islamic legal theory, maslahah is a fundamental consideration in formulating laws.
"From a maslahah perspective—one that has been consistent through the ages—the wisdom behind zakat is in line with the objectives of sharia, and its effective realization is best ensured when managed by the government," he said.
He concluded by stating that the role of the state, through BAZNAS, guarantees that zakat is distributed fairly, transparently, and effectively. Supported by the legal framework of Law No. 23/2011, BAZNAS operates not only in accordance with national law but also in alignment with Islamic principles.