Analisa fatwa di Malaysia berkaitan penggunaan dana zakat bagi tujuan projek pembangunan

Fatwa merupakan salah satu elemen penting dalam pentadbiran zakat di Malaysia. Ini diperuntukkan di dalam undang-undang pentadbiran agama Islam di negeri masing-masing. Justeru itu, kajian ini menjurus kepada fatwa-fatwa berkaitan zakat yang dimuatnaik dalam e-SMAF (Sumber Maklumat Fatwa) yang dibangunkan oleh Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM). Sebanyak 129 fatwa berkaitan zakat dianalisa menggunakan metod analisis kandungan. Hasil kajian mendapati dua topik utama iaitu kutipan dan agihan zakat. Antara isu-isu di bawah kutipan ialah penentuan zakat fitrah setiap tahun, bayaran zakat secara elektronik dan zakat saham serta kaedah pengiraan. Di bawah agihan, isu yang timbul antaranya ialah ketetapan had kifayah, tafsiran asnaf dalam konteks semasa dan skim-skim bantuan zakat. Kajian ini seterusnya mengenalpasti isu-isu yang sering dikaitkan dengan penggunaan dana zakat bagi tujuan projek pembangunan seperti (i) pengurusan lebihan zakat, (ii) pelaburan wang zakat, dan (iii) agihan zakat dalam bentuk manfaat. Kajian ini mendapati penggunaan dana zakat bagi tujuan pembangunan berlaku di Majlis Agama Islam Negeri-Negeri (MAIN). Ianya digunakan dalam konteks keperluan asnaf kepada prasarana yang tertentu seperti rumah perlindungan warga emas dan muallaf. Malah, sinergi antara MAIN melalui agensi zakat serta pemaju dan Jabatan Mufti dilihat mampu untuk mewujudkan kerangka perolehan pembangunan yang berbentuk Islamik. Akhirnya kajian ini mengesyorkan beberapa perkara yang memerlukan kepada penelitian fatwa seperti (i) tafsiran lebihan zakat, (ii) metodologi pengiraan had kifayah, dan (iii) sumber-sumber zakat yang lain

The philosophy of Maqasid al-Shariah and its application in the built environment

This paper deciphers the application of the philosophy of the Maqasid al-shari’ah (Objectives of Islamic Law) in the built environment. Being seen as a result of human minds and acts towards the environment for the purpose of human needs, wants and values, the built environment is very much related to the Islamic theory of man as vicegerent (khalifah) on earth. Here lies the interconnectedness between the built environment and the Maqasid al-shari’ah. In this regard, the terms Islam and Maqasid al-shari’ah play the same role in the sense that they set a way of life for mankind with the principles of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Human reactions in their daily life basically react upon these elements. Definitely, human wellbeing or maslahah (public interests) for mankind is the ultimate aim of the shari’ah. Thus this paper attempts to assimilate the philosophy of the Maqasid al-shari’ah with the built environment’s profession towards the realization of their role as khalifah. Ultimately, this will pave for better human interaction with the environment resulting in utmost quality of the built environment for human life. Keywords: Built environment, Maqasid al-shariah, and human bein

Evaluating the suitability of qualitative methods in Wakaf-Zakat housing provision research

Research on wakaf-zakat housing provision is a cross-disciplinary. It involves an area of study under religion and the built environment by wakaf-zakat and housing, respectively. , A combination of these two areas of study, requires a well-defined research methodology that the paper evaluates the suitability of qualitative methods to achieve the stipulated research objectives. Consequently, attainment of each research objective through specified methods is explained either by way of interview, case-study, observation and focus-group-discussion. Insequent, after an extensive literature review was conducted, the instrument for data collection was instituted. It was piloted through a focus-group-discussion (FGD), and the amendments to the instrument was made accordingly. Then, the data collection was done through case-studies and observations of wakaf-zakat housing projects as well as interviews. Experts in religious studies and the built environment were selected for the above FGD and interviews. The data collected was critically analysed by way of content analysis. The outcome of the analysis was presented to the experts again for validation. For FGD and interviews, the purposive sampling with a high degree of respondent selection criteria is adopted. Overall, the study found that those qualitative methods are suitable to achieve the stipulated objectives for wakaf-zakat housing provision researc

Identifying shariah governance and construction procurement system of property development under Islamic Johor Corporation

Islamic Johor Corporation or in Malay language, Perbadanan Islam Johor (PIJ) is a corporation established in 1976 to advance the economy of Muslims in Johor. The corporation embarks in property developments that lead to the formation of PIJ Holdings in 1995. As such, the objective of this study is to recognize the shariah governance and construction procurement system from the practice of PIJ’s property development. In the deficiency of standard shariah governance framework for property development services, the study referred to the selected guiding principles from an international standard of Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and Shariah Governance Framework for Bank Negara Malaysia. In doing so, the paper articulates the set-up of PIJ and discusses the steps of its construction procurement process from the initiation of the project until the management of risk. The study employed qualitative research methods of content analysis, case study and an interview to validate the findings. The study found that there is a synergy between the religious authorities and PIJ in its set-up, acts as a check and balance to the practice of its property development. Moreover, its operational practices help to identify the Islamic procurement element for instances the employment of project financing via Islamic banking and takaful. For other procurement activities, it can be said that PIJ is acknowledging the conventional methods so long it does not contradict to Islam. This identification is significant to promote PIJ as a catalyst to shariah-compliant property development

Religious dimensions of Malaysia’s wellbeing indexes

Amongst the 57 members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference’s (OIC) countries, Malaysia is at number one rating in the Islamicity Index, Islamic Index of Wellbeing and Global Muslim Travel Index studies. The rating gave the impression of the liveability or wellbeing in Malaysia within the Islamic sphere. This recognition prompts the study on the indicators of wellbeing that Malaysia has focused on Islamic dimensions. Consequently, content analysis was done on six selected government documents namely the Malaysian Wellbeing Index, the Malaysian Family Wellbeing Index, the Malaysian Urban-Rural National Indicators Network for Sustainable Development, the Malaysian Shariah Index, the Malaysian Ummah Development Index and the Muslim Religiosity and Personality Indexing. The study found that the first three documents embodied indirect religious dimensions in their wellbeing indexing while the latter three have direct religious dimensions. The incorporation of the religious dimensions into the Malaysia’s wellbeing indexing either directly or indirectly shows the relevancy of the religious factor to human wellbeing. Noticeably, the indicators promulgated under each study are organizationally-driven aiming at attaining their specific objectives that invariably led to variations amongst the agencies. Nonetheless, religion has been found to command a significant factor in the wellbeing of Malaysian though different indicators have been used by the six organizations to arrive at this fact. Keywords: Index, Malaysia, Religion, Quality of Life, Wellbeing

An analytical study of Malaysia’s quality of life indicators

Abstract: In Malaysia, there are several set of indicators used to measure quality of life vis-à-vis liveability of cities. Three remarkable set of indicators are the Malaysian Wellbeing Index (2 sub composites, 14 components, 68 indicators), the Malaysian Urban Rural National Indicators for Sustainable Development (6 dimensions, 21 themes, 36 indicators) and the Malaysian Family Wellbeing Index (7 domains, 24 indicators). They are governed by government agencies of Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Federal Town and Country Planning Department (FTCPD) and National Population and Family Development Board (NPFDB) respectively. Quality of life is directly related to liveability and the latter is very much influenced by the fulfillment of the need for self-fulfilment — physical, social, emotional and spiritual. In the Malaysian context quality of life is interchangeably used to mean liveability, sustainability, wellbeing and happiness in its towns and cities. The study employed meta-ethnography qualitative approach by in-depth analysis and synthesis on the respective set of indicators. It is a systematic approach that enables comparison, analysis and interpretations to be made that can inform theorizing and practice. The analysis revealed the commonalities and differences amongst the three set of Malaysia’s quality of life indicators. Noticeably, religion and spirituality become one of the concerns. For town planners and city managers, the result indicates the state of people living condition in cities that influence planning and development in the long run. Overall, the indicators used are quite varied suiting their organisation’s aim and objectives but they are sharing the common themes of politics, economics, social, environment and infrastructure. Key words: Malaysia; quality of life; liveability; wellbeing; index JEL codes: