IjDAZ 2025 Unites Zakat Institutions To Strengthen National Framework

BANGI, July 10 (Bernama) -- The Selangor Zakat Board (LZS), in collaboration with the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council Zakat Collection Centre (PPZ-MAIWP) and the Department of Waqf, Zakat and Haj (JAWHAR), is stepping up efforts to strengthen the national zakat (tithe) system through the inaugural Ijtimak Duat dan Asatizah Zakat (IjDAZ) 2025.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, said the event marks a significant step forward in the long-term commitment of state zakat agencies and JAWHAR to enhance the zakat ecosystem in Malaysia.

“This is a large-scale strategic initiative designed to reinforce the national zakat framework,” he said in his speech delivered by JAWHAR director-general Datuk Selamat Paigo at the launch of IjDAZ 2025 here yesterday.

Also present were LZS chief executive Officer Mohd Khaidzir Shahari, Selangor mufti and chairman of LZS’ Syariah Advisory Committee Datuk Dr Anhar Opir, and PPZ-MAIWP chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Hakim Amir Osman.

Mohd Na’im emphasised that IjDAZ should serve as a key platform for sharing knowledge and best practices, particularly in areas such as fatwas, dakwah (Islamic outreach), and the strategic management of zakat collection and distribution.

He said  each state zakat agency brings its own strengths in governance, policy, and implementation — all of which should be shared to collectively strengthen national-level zakat institutions. 

“This isn’t about comparison, but collaboration. Progress in one state should be viewed as an opportunity for mutual learning and improvement, not competition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Khaidzir noted that previous zakat seminars tended to focus heavily on academic discussions, often overlooking the practical challenges faced by zakat officers in the field.

He said IjDAZ was developed to address this gap by creating a platform tailored to the actual challenges and experiences of zakat practitioners.

“IjDAZ is not about theory or assumptions. It provides a space for honest discussion of real-world zakat practices, grounded in experience and reality,” he said.

With the theme “Towards Strengthening Syariah Governance and Dakwah Among Zakat Officers in Malaysia”, IjDAZ 2025 brought together 200 preachers from across the country. The event marked a national-level effort to unify syariah and dakwah initiatives through a structured, practical, and relevant approach.

The two-day programme featured a series of strategic sessions, including presentations on syariah proficiency, a Bicara IjDAZ dialogue on nurturing credible zakat advocates, and best practice discussions on effective governance models.

-- BERNAMA