Bapelurzam Kendal: A Muhammadiyah Zakat Movement

Tuti Alawiyah Najib

Alawiyah Najib, Tuti. 2006. "Bapelurzam Kendal: A Muhammadiyah Zakat Movement." Caider S. Bamualim et.al. Islamic Philanthropy and Social Development. Jakarta: Center for the Study of Religion and Culture. pp. 143-166.

The collection and management of zakat within Muhammadiyah was initiated by the Central Leadership's Decree No. 02/pp/1979 which ordered the establishment of a Muhammadiyah zakat agency. The purpose of this agency was to better regulate zakat collection and distribution and ensure that the full potential of zakat in improving social welfare was realized. This is not to say that such this concept did not exist in the organization prior to this, for if we look closer into the organization's history, we see that the concept of organizing zakat and eradicating poverty through zakat already existed at the time of the organization's inception. The organization had from the very beginning sought to stress the importance of helping and caring for the needy. KH. Ahmad Dahlan, the founder of Muhammadiyah, often recited Surat Al-Maun of the Holy Qur'an whenever he addressed Muhammadiyah audiences. This Surat reinforces the importance of caring for and helping the needy, particularly orphans and the poor, as Allah labels those who perform their prayers but do not also care for the needy as weak Muslims.

This chapter serves as a study of Badan Pelaksana Urusan Zakat Muhammadiyah (the Muhammadiyah Agency for Zakat Affairs) or Bapelurzam Kendal. This agency is a part of the local branch of Muhammadiyah in Kendal, and was established solely for the purpose of managing zakat. Bapelurzam Kendal was selected for this study because it has recorded the highest success rate in the collection and distribution fo zakat mal compared to other Muhammadiyah branches. Apart from that, this institution clearly illustrates the work and activities of Muhammadiyah in the field of zakat at the regional and branch levels where it had begun.