The head of state noted that Ramadan is a call for Muslims to increase their piety, not only by abstaining from eating and drinking but also by pursuing good deeds, such as by sharing, charity, and alms.
“Zakat is a must for Muslims, as a form of gratitude for all the gifts Allah has granted in our lives by sharing fortune, sharing joy, and giving portion of our wealth for our fellows, who need it,” he noted in his speech.
According to the president, the government must always pursue efforts to reduce the poverty rate, particularly extreme poverty, so support and participation is necessary from all, including BAZNAS, as an agency that collects and distributes zakat.
Hence, he urged all Muslims, particularly state officials, state-owned enterprises officials, and all regional leaders, to fulfill their obligations of zakat by channeling it to Baznas, so the agency can manage it in a professional and transparent manner.
“Last from me, the collected zakat to be distributed effectively, improve public welfare, and bless us all,” the president remarked.
On a separate occasion, head of BAZNAS Noor Ahmad stated that in 2022, the agency had collected a total of Rp22.4 trillion (US$1.5 billion), an increase by 58.03 as compared to the previous year.
As for 2023, they aim to collect (US$2.2 billion) in zakat and alms, he remarked.
“This target is far below the potential of zakat and alms on the national scale of Rp327 trillion (US$21.7 billion),” Ahmad remarked.
According to Ahmad, Baznas has eight priority programs in 2023, all of which are relevant to the 2020-2024 national mid-term development plan.
He remarked that the eight programs comprise scholarship, decent housing, disaster mitigation, microfinance, and student entrepreneurship.
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