Prof. Dr. Tika Widiastuti S.E., M.Si
Professor of Islamic Economics and Islamic Finance, Faculty of Business Economics, Airlangga University
Jakarta, IO – Zakat is the Arabic term for an alms tax that Muslims are obliged to give to proper recipients, including faqir (the poor), masakin (the needy), amil (zakat collectors), muallaf (recent converts), riqab (those freed from slavery or servitude), gharim (debtors, to fulfill their basic needs), fi sabilillah (those fighting for the cause of God) and ibnu sabil (wayfarers or stranded travelers).
According to the Professor of Islamic Economics in the Faculty of Business Economics of Airlangga University (UNAIR), Prof. Dr. Tika Widiastuti S.E. M.Si., if zakat, as the third pillar of Islam, is implemented effectively, it can improve people’s welfare.
“Many media reports that the potential for zakat in Indonesia is massive. About ten years ago, the collected sum was IDR 200tn, which has now increased to about IDR 300tn,” explained Tika, as quoted on the official UNAIR website.
Despite its immense potential, zakat faces various challenges, such as its management. Zakat management institutions should be more modern and accountable in managing funds, to gain the public trust.
“Cases arising from problematic zakat institutions cause public trust to decline. Zakat institutions should be more modern and accountable in `their management,” explained Tika.
Another challenge is on the muzakkin (zakat payers) who pay their zakat to unofficial zakat institutions. Thus, transparency in zakat management must be improved.
Tika suggested a solution to overcome the mentioned problems: digitalization. Through digitalization, people can easily secure information about how and to whom the zakat they pay is distributed.
“Even though some institutions have implemented digitalization, only a few are known to the Indonesian people. Therefore, commitment is needed from zakat institutions to implement digitalization, to increase transparency in zakat management,” said Tika.
Through digitalization, hopefully, the public can restore their trust in zakat institutions to distribute their zakat.
Prof. Dr. Tika Widiastuti S.E., M.Si was inaugurated as a professor on October 18, 2023, with an inauguration speech titled “Integration of Islamic Social Finance Towards a Poverty-Free Indonesia”.
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Tika completed a Bachelor’s degree in Development Economics at Airlangga University in 2005 and earned a Master’s in Middle Eastern and Islamic Regional Studies at the University of Indonesia in 2008. In 2013, she was awarded a Master’s degree in Islamic Economics by Airlangga University.
Tika also has a lineup of several published books: Welfare and Poverty in an Islamic Perspective (2015), Sharia Finance Slang Book (2019), Amerta Waqf Handbook (2019), Zakat Handbook (2019), Anthology of Development (2019), Sharia Public Finance (2020), Sharia Management in the Management of Health Service Providers (2021), Model Social Safety Nets in an Islamic Economic Perspective (2021), Islamic Development Economics (2022), Economics and Management of ZIZWAF (Zakat, Infaq, sedekah and waqf) (2022), Halal Value Chain Based Tourism Village (2022) and “Accounting for Waqf for Nazhir in Indonesia Within the Framework of Maqashid Syariah: Theoretical and Practical Study (2023). (rp)