Book Review – ‘Contemporary Zakat Fiqh’ by Indonesian Muslim scholar Ammi Nur Baits

The book ‘Contemporary Zakat Fiqh’ by Indonesian Muslim scholar Ammi Nur Baits is very practical and easy to understand, even for those who are just starting to delve into this fiqh, and is highly beneficial for financially well-established Muslims.

 

Bogor, W Java (Indonesia Window) – The issue of usury (interest in debt transactions) has been widely discussed by scholars in Indonesia, but there has been little focus on zakat.

“Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam that must be fulfilled according to the rules of sharia,” Indonesian Muslim scholar Ustadz Ammi Nur Baits said during a discussion of his latest book, ‘Contemporary Zakat Fiqh’, organized by the Zakat Management Institute (LAZ) Solidaritas Insan Peduli (SIP) in Indonesia’s Bogor district, West Java province, on Friday (Feb. 14).

The lack of discussion on zakat motivated him to write ‘Contemporary Zakat Fiqh’, a 379-page book published by Muamalah Publishing.

Despite being one of the obligations in the pillars of Islam, many Muslims (especially those with wealth) do not understand zakat as part of worship.

“Zakat is the act of giving a portion of one’s wealth. However, zakat is different from infaq, which also involves giving wealth,” said Ust. Ammi, who is also a mentor of Konsultasisyariah.com and Pengusahamuslim.com networks.

He explained that, in addition to being positive, infaq (Arabic: إنفاق) could also have a negative or reprehensible meaning. “Non-believers also give infaq. In Surah Al-Anfal verse 36, Allah ﷻ says: ‘Surely the disbelievers spend their wealth to hinder others from the Path of Allah. They will continue to spend to the point of regret. Then they will be defeated and the disbelievers will be driven into Hell’.”

Meanwhile, Ust. Ammi continued, zakat only carries a positive meaning and is often referred to as ‘charity’.

The command to pay zakat is mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah, verse 60: ‘Indeed, zakat is for the poor, the needy, those who collect zakat, for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for the way of Allah, and for the traveler. An obligation from Allah, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.’

In line with the title of the book, published in November 2024, Ust. Ammi explained various contemporary issues related to zakat, including zakat on stocks, Islamic bonds, zakat on factories and production units, professional zakat, and zakat on pilgrimage savings.

Current situations also contribute to the fiqh discussion in this book, such as how inflation affects the calculation of zakat (nishab), how to calculate the zakat haul (one-year period) based on the Gregorian calendar, and how zakat is allocated to da’wah (Islamic propagation) institutions.

Although this book addresses contemporary issues, ‘Contemporary Zakat Fiqh’ by Ust. Ammi begins with a discussion on the history of zakat, which was commanded by Allah ﷻ since the time of Bani Israel (The children of Israel), long before Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sent as the Messenger of Allah.

The comprehensive explanation in this 22nd book by Ust. Ammi does not reduce its practicality in understanding zakat and how to calculate zakat from wealth that must be given according to Islamic rules.

This book is very easy to understand, even for those who are just starting to learn about fiqh, and is especially beneficial for Muslims who are economically well-off and have an obligation to give wealth in the way of Allah ﷻ through zakat.

“Zakat is a worship related to wealth, and its method of fulfillment cannot be altered,” Ust. Ammi emphasized during his book discussion.

Worship related to wealth is a form of obligatory worship whose procedures are determined by the sharia laws, including place, time, method, and other regulations.

Reporting by Indonesia Window