Hashim B.
Mantikayan
The Implementation of Zakat in Cotabato City
This
study answers the following questions: (1) What are the forms of
Zakat implementation in Cotabato City? (2) What are the effects
of Zakat implementation on Cotabato City Muslim residents?
and (3) What are the factors affecting the implementation of
Zakat in Cotabato City?
This study shows that there are two forms of Zakat
implementation in Cotabato City: Firstly, the non-institutionalized
and the institutionalized Zakat. The non-instiutionalized
Zakat refers to the traditional giving of zakat. This
un-institutionalized form of zakat lacks systematized
operation such as the following: (1) No amount of nisab
(minimum exemption limit) computation; (2) No hawl (period of
giving zakat); (3) No consideration of asnaf (eight
categories) when giving of zakat; (4) No authorized
collectors/amilin as mentioned in the Qur’an; and (5)
Finally, it is left to individualized observance of zakat
based on personal desire as to where one gives zakat.
Secondly, the institutionalized zakat as implemented by the
al-Lujnat al-Ulya, established in 1994 and holds its
principal office in Cotabato City. The term al-Lujnat al-Ulya
is an Arabic words which literally mean ‘The Supreme
Committee’. It was called the supreme committee because it is in
tasked to manage the collection and disbursement of zakat as
a third pillar of Islam. it was organized and founded by a group of
seven ulama in Cotabato City, lead by then late Sheikh H.
Sabila H. Salih. Their primary aim is to answer or address the
problem of incorrect implemention of zakat by the Bangsamoro
people. Its function is to collect the zakat of all Muslims
by all means available as long as suspicions and doubts on the part
of the zakat payee shall be shun.
The researcher found that upon the implementation of zakat
into an institutionalized form significant effects were seen among
the residents in Cotabato City covering spiritual, economic and
social aspects that mutually benefited both the giver and the
recipients of zakat. Spiritually, there are positive
assurance to get reward because of the proper observance of zakat
based on the Qur’an and the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad.
Its significant effects on economic aspect resulted in the creation
of various emergency assistance such as these given for calamities,
hospitalization/medication, basic needs, financial, study grant,
livelihood for widows.
However, in spite of these positive effects, there are also some
factors that affect the systematic operation of the al-Lujnat al-Ulya.
These factors include ignorance of the Muslims, government’s
negative attitudes and security threat towards the institution.
Ignorance here refers to the concept and practices of zakat
as well as the institution that ran the affair of zakat like
al-Lujnat al-Ulya.
Accordingly, the government particularly the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) portray the collection of zakat as a form
of ‘extortion’ and labeled as ‘revolutionary tax’ used by the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as their source of fund to conduct
terrorist activities.
The researcher concludes that the non-institutionalized/traditional
zakat is largely mixed with un-Islamic practices. Whereas,
the institutionalized zakat implemented by the al-Lujnat
al-Ulya is proven Islamic and strictly obeys the teaching of the
Qur’an and follow the traditions and patterns implemented by Prophet
Muhammad. |
