The Convergence of Islamic Law and Customary Law in the Management of Zakat in Indonesia and Malaysia
Keywords:
Convergence; Customary law; Islamic political law; Substantive justice; Zakat management.Abstract
This study seeks to fill a gap in the literature, which has been overly focused on the dichotomy between Islamic law and the state, by offering a new perspective: zakat as a space for convergence and a social laboratory for the creation of inclusive, responsive, and adaptive governance in response to the complexities of Muslim societies in Indonesia and Malaysia. This study employs an exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach, focusing its analysis on legal documents, regulations, religious fatwas, and academic literature discussing zakat management in Indonesia and Malaysia. The results confirm that the convergence of Islamic law and customary law in zakat management in Indonesia and Malaysia is essentially a space for the search for meaning of justice that is never final, where the state, society, and religious authorities continuously negotiate the boundaries of universality and locality in the distribution of welfare for the people. In the dialectic between the egalitarian principles of Sharia and the nuanced kinship practices of customary law, zakat emerges as a social laboratory that tests the legitimacy, inclusiveness, and vitality of the legal system itself. The effectiveness and transparency of zakat governance are not solely determined by the state's courage to innovate or the sophistication of regulations, but by the success of all actors in fostering critical, reflective dialogue, providing genuine space for local community participation, and positioning zakat as an instrument of social liberation that challenges the status quo and opens new pathways to substantive justice.
Downloads
References
Alfitri, Alfitri. “Islamic Law and Society in Indonesia: Corporate Zakat Norms and Practices in Islamic Banks,” n.d. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183112.
Aminuddin, Ahmad Fathi, Hairunnizam Wahid, and Mohd Ali Mohd Nor. “Kecekapan Pengurusan Kewangan Dan Pengurusan Agihan Zakat: Kajian Terhadap Majlis Agama Islam Johor (Efficiency of Financial and Zakat Distribution Management: A Study at Johor Islamic Religious Council).” UMRAN-Journal of Islamic and Civilizational Studies 4, no. 3 (2017). https://doi.org/10.11113/umran2017.4n3.163.
Bashori, Akmal, Arif Sugitanata, and Suud Sarim Karimullah. “Dekonstruksi Pemaknaan Mualaf Sebagai Penerima Zakat Di Indonesia.” DIKTUM: Jurnal Syariah Dan Hukum 22, no. 1 (2024): 11–23. https://doi.org/10.35905/diktum.v22i1.5027.
Bukido, Rosdalina, Muhammad Azhar Muslihin, and Suud Sarim Karimullah. “Family Economic Empowerment Strategies in Gangga II Village: A Maqashid Shariah Perspective.” Al-Mujtahid: Journal of Islamic Family Law 5, no. 1 (2025): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.30984/ajifl.v5i1.3438.
Engeland, Anicée Van. “The Balance between Islamic Law, Customary Law and Human Rights in Islamic Constitutionalism through the Prism of Legal Pluralism.” Cambridge International Law Journal 3, no. 4 (2014): 1321–48. https://doi.org/10.7574/cjicl.03.04.250.
Faizin, Mu’adil, Suud Sarim Karimullah, Bhismoadi Tri Wahyu Faizal, and Ihsan Helmi Lubis. “Development of Zakat Distribution in the Disturbance Era.” Jurnal Ilmiah Mizani: Wacana Hukum, Ekonomi Dan Keagamaan 10, no. 2 (2024): 186–97. https://doi.org/10.29300/mzn.v10i2.2997.
Haerunnisa, Haerunnisa, Arif Sugitanata, and Suud Sarim Karimullah. “Analisis Strukturalisme Terhadap Peran Katalisator Instrumen Keuangan Syariah Dalam Mendorong Pembangunan Berkelanjutan Dan Tanggung Jawab Sosial.” Al-’Aqdu: Journal of Islamic Economics Law 3, no. 2 (2023): 124–34. https://doi.org/10.30984/ajiel.v3i2.2853.
Hagawe, Huda Mohammad, Asma Mobarek, Akmal Hanuk, and Ahmad Jamal. “A Unique Business Model for Microfinance Institution: The Case of Assadaqaat Community Finance (ACF).” Cogent Business & Management 10, no. 1 (2023): 2135202. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2135202.
Hakim, Muhammad Lutfi. “Islamic Law and Society in Indonesia: Corporate Zakat Norms and Practices in Islamic Banks, by Alfitri.” Bijdragen Tot de Taal-, Land-En Volkenkunde/Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia 179, no. 1 (2023): 115–18. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134379-17901001.
Hamid, Rizal Al, Arif Sugitanata, and Suud Sarim Karimullah. “Sinkronisasi Pendekatan Sosiologis Dengan Penemuan Hukum Islam Sui Generis Kum Empiris.” Bertuah Jurnal Syariah Dan Ekonomi Islam 4, no. 1 (2023): 48–60. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.56633/jsie.v4i1.553.
Insani, Nur, Nizla Rohaya, Upik Mutiara, and Prosper Maguchu. “Legal Protection for Personal Data Security and Muzakki Financial Transactions on Digital Zakat Platform.” Jurnal Hukum Novelty (1412-6834) 15, no. 1 (2024). https://doi.org/10.26555/novelty.v15i1.a27200.
Kamaruddin, Muhammad Iqmal Hisham, Zurina Shafii, Mustafa Mohammed Hanefah, Supiah Salleh, and Nurazalia Zakaria. “Exploring Shariah Audit Practices in Zakat and Waqf Institutions in Malaysia.” Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research 15, no. 3 (2024): 402–21. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-07-2022-0190.
Karimullah, Suud Sarim. “Analysis of the Influence of Political Power on the Implementation of the Islamic Economic System.” Jurnal Ekonomi Syariah, Akuntansi Dan Perbankan (JESKaPe) 8, no. 2 (2024): 179–209. https://doi.org/10.52490/jeskape.v8i2.4714.
———. “Implementasi Teknologi Green Economy Pada Bisnis Keluarga Modern.” Jurnal Relevansi: Ekonomi, Manajemen Dan Bisnis 8, no. 2 (2024): 101–12.
———. “Konsep Dan Implementasi Zakat Untuk Pelestarian Lingkungan.” DIRHAM: Jurnal Ekonomi Islam 6, no. 1 (2025): 51–65. https://doi.org/10.53990/dirham.v6i1.396.
———. “Pursuing Legal Harmony: Indonesianization of Islamic Law Concept and Its Impact on National Law.” Mazahib 21, no. 2 (December 27, 2022): 213–44. https://doi.org/10.21093/mj.v21i2.4800.
Kunhibava, Sherin, Aishath Muneeza, Maryam Binti Khalid, Zakariya Mustapha, and Thong Ming Sen. “Islamic Social Finance from the Quran and Sunnah.” In Islamic Social Finance: Law and Practice in Malaysia, 1–21. Springer, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1410-0_1.
———. “Sadaqah, Zakat and Qard Hassan: Legal Framework.” In Islamic Social Finance: Law and Practice in Malaysia, 23–43. Springer, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1410-0_2.
Lyu, Sheng, Rachel Chan Suet Kay, and Eric Olmedo Panal. “Constructing Ethnic Consciousness: The Role of Cultural Heritage in Malaysia.” Ethnic and Racial Studies, 2024, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2024.2383724.
Mawardi, Ahmad Imam. “Islamic Law and Imperialism: Tracing on The Development of Islamic Law in Indonesia and Malaysia.” AL-IHKAM: Jurnal Hukum & Pranata Sosial 13, no. 1 (2018): 1–24. https://doi.org/10.19105/al-ihkam.v13i1.1583.
Muhammad, Adamu Abubakar, Babangida Bala, Adam Muhammad Ardo, Muhammad Bello Adam, Bashir Liman Mashema, and Arif Sugitanata. “Utilization of Zakat and Waqf in Address Dependency Challenges of The Vulnerable in Gombe State.” Al-’Aqdu: Journal of Islamic Economics Law 4, no. 2 (2024): 135–50. https://doi.org/10.30984/ajiel.v4i2.3307.
Mukhlishin, Mukhlishin, Abdul Wahab, Bambang Setiaji, and Magomed Tazhdinov. “Zakat Maal Management and Regulation Practices: Evidence from Malaysia, Turki and Indonesia.” Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System 4, no. 2 (2024): 569–92. https://doi.org/10.53955/jhcls.v4i2.204.
Müller, Dominik M. “From Consultancy to Critique: The ‘Success Story’of Globalized Zakat Management in Malaysia and Its Normative Ambiguities.” Globalizations 14, no. 1 (2017): 81–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2016.1200309.
Mustari, Nuryanti, Rosdianti Razak, J Junaedi, F Fatmawati, Hardianto Hawing, and Tawakkal Baharuddin. “Multipartner Governance and the Urgency of Poverty Alleviation Policy: Zakat Fundraising Management.” Cogent Social Sciences 10, no. 1 (2024): 2361529. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2361529.
Mutamimah, Mutamimah, Suryani Alifah, Gunawan Gunawan, and Made Dwi Adnjani. “ICT-Based Collaborative Framework for Improving the Performance of Zakat Management Organisations in Indonesia.” Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research 12, no. 6 (2021): 887–903. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-05-2020-0154.
Nor, Shifa Mohd, Salmy Edawati Yaacob, Aisyah Abdul Rahman, and Hafizah Zainal. “Digitizing Zakat Distribution in Malaysia: A Case Study on Application Process at Kedah State Zakat Board.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 8, no. 3 (2024): 1901–27. https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v8i3.24158.
Qutaiba, Mohammad, Mohd Owais, and Abdus Salam Muharam. “The Current Issue of Reporting Zakat in Indonesia: A Critical Analysis.” Journal of Islamic Economic and Business Research 4, no. 1 (2024): 1–25. https://doi.org/10.18196/jiebr.v4i1.227.
Rahman, Azman Ab, Ahmad Rafiki, Hery Syahrial, and Fitriani Tobing. “Professionalism and Competency of Amil Zakat in Malaysia and Indonesia: Strategies for Sustainability.” In Strategic Islamic Business and Management: Solutions for Sustainability, 269–83. Springer, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-61778-2_15.
Retsikas, Konstantinos. “Reconceptualising Zakat in Indonesia: Worship, Philanthropy and Rights.” Indonesia and the Malay World 42, no. 124 (2014): 337–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639811.2014.951519.
Ridho, Hilmi, Ali Sodiqin, and Abdul Mujib. “The Evolution of Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia’s Digital Age (2016–2023).” Al-Ahkam 35, no. 1 (2025): 31–58. https://doi.org/10.21580/ahkam.2025.35.1.23721.
Rosele, Muhammad Ikhlas, Abdul Muneem, Noor Naemah Binti Abdul Rahman, and Abdul Karim Ali. “The Digitalized Zakat Management System in Malaysia and the Way Forward.” AL-IHKAM: Jurnal Hukum & Pranata Sosial 17, no. 1 (2022): 242–72. https://doi.org/10.19105/al-lhkam.v17i1.5365.
Sani, Hanisah Binte Abdullah. “State Law and Legal Pluralism: Towards an Appraisal.” The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law 52, no. 1 (2020): 82–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/07329113.2020.1727726.
Sugitanata, Arif, Suud Sarim Karimullah, and Rizal Al Hamid. “Hukum Positif Dan Hukum Islam: Analisis Tata Cara Menemukan Hukum Dalam Kacamata Hukum Positif Dan Hukum Islam.” JURISY: Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah 3, no. 1 (2023): 1–22. https://doi.org/10.37348/jurisy.v3i1.242.
Susetyo, Heru. “Contestation between State and Nonstate Actors in Zakah Management in Indonesia.” Jurnal Syariah 23, no. 3 (2015): 517–46. https://doi.org/10.22452/js.vol23no3.7.
Thaidi, Hussein Azeemi Abdullah, Muhamad Firdaus Ab Rahman, and Ahmad Zaki Salleh. “Addressing Challenges, Unleashing Potentials: Towards Achieving Impactful Islamic Social Finance.” Ulum Islamiyyah 35, no. 02 (2023): 63–85. https://doi.org/10.33102/uij.vol35no02.554.
Tok, Evren, Abdurahman J Yesuf, and Abdulfatah Mohamed. “Sustainable Development Goals and Islamic Social Finance: From Policy Divide to Policy Coherence and Convergence.” Sustainability 14, no. 11 (2022): 6875. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116875.
Wahab, Norazlina Abd, and Abdul Rahim Abdul Rahman. “A Framework to Analyse the Efficiency and Governance of Zakat Institutions.” Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research 2, no. 1 (2011): 43–62. https://doi.org/10.1108/17590811111129508.
Yahya, Imam. “Zakat Management in Indonesia: A Legal Political Perspective.” Al-Ahkam 30, no. 2 (2020): 195–214. https://doi.org/10.21580/ahkam.2020.30.2.6420.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Lalu Hendri Nuriskandar, Adamu Abubakar Muhammad, Haerunnisa, Syamsul Alam, Latifatul Khiyaroh
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
