JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Indonesia holds a remarkable potential for waqf (endowment) valued at approximately IDR 2,000 trillion, according to estimates from Bank Indonesia.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) and the Indonesian Waqf Board (BWI) are actively promoting the utilization of these funds to boost the national economy.

This initiative aims to harness the financial resources of waqf to support various sectors and enhance overall economic development.

Kamaruddin Amin, the chairman of BWI, highlighted that the annual potential for zakat (charity) in Indonesia exceeds IDR 300 trillion, while waqf stands at about IDR 180 trillion.

The country boasts 445,410 waqf land locations, including 36,240 madrasahs, 1,100 religious offices, 220,000 mosques, and 266,413 prayer halls.

To maximize the impact of these assets, BWI has introduced the “Gerakan Indonesia Berwakaf” (Indonesia Waqf Movement), encouraging international collaboration to optimize the global influence of waqf.

The recent World Zakat and Waqf Forum (WZWF), attended by representatives from 43 countries, aims to generate innovative ideas for empowering zakat and waqf as solutions to global challenges.

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar emphasized the need to explore how these financial tools can address various world issues during the conference’s press briefing.

Kemenag has initiated four key programs to strengthen the role of zakat and waqf in the national economy: Kampung Zakat (Zakat Villages), Economic Empowerment Offices, Productive Waqf Incubation, and Waqf Cities.

The Minister stressed the importance of digital technology in enhancing transparency and effectiveness in the distribution of zakat and waqf, which can expand fundraising efforts on a global scale and ensure targeted use of the funds.