Nor Kartini Mohd Rodzi’s research while affiliated with MARA University of Technology and other places

Tolerance between non-Muslims living with a Muslim majority has created a social interaction within the framework of humanity, harmony, and stability of a country. Islamic tolerance towards diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural communities, such as in Malaysia, is manifested through the provision of charity (sadaqah) and alms (zakat) to the eligible recipients known as asnaf. The asnaf category includes two groups; the first consists of non-Muslims who are inclined towards Islam but have not yet embraced the religion, and the second group comprises non-Muslims who have recently converted to Islam. Hence, this study examines the issues and challenges faced by the Zakat Unit of the Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council of Perlis (MAIPs) in administering zakat for non-Muslims. The objectives of this study include assessing the need for non-Muslim outreach through the distribution of zakat funds allocated for this purpose. Additionally, the research will identify the method of implementing zakat for non-Muslims as recipients of zakat according to their specific needs and current challenges. The study also analyzes the implementation of zakat distribution for non-Muslims carried out by MAIPs. To explore further, this study adopts an inductive qualitative approach, wherein the researcher derives meanings or understanding from data collected through semi-structured interview transcriptions. The findings of the study reveal several issues and challenges, such as the perception of the Muslim community towards non-Muslims, insufficient funds, lack of expertise in the field of outreach, and political and mass media influences that shape the challenges of providing zakat to non-Muslims. The implementation of zakat for non-Muslims by MAIPs is expected to enhance zakat collection and create opportunities for outreach to non-Muslims who are interested in Islam.

The establishment of waqf funds in institutions of higher learning is increasingly being developed by many public and private institutions of higher learning throughout the country. The phenomenon of the establishment of waqf funds has triggered great innovations in the development of waqf in the country. It is in line with the launch of the UniTP Purple Book Guidelines that has been enforced for use in October 2016 by the Ministry of Higher Education to develop their respective endowment management centers to generate income. In this regard, UiTM Perlis Branch took the initiative to establish the UiTM Perlis Knowledge Endowment Fund (DWIPs). Thus, this study examined the issues and challenges faced by DWIPs in helping the income generation of higher learnings institutions. This study used a qualitative method with a case study at UiTM Perlis Branch. The experience of the authors and fellow authors who led DWIPs from the beginning of the establishment to the present were analyzed and described descriptively and comparatively. The findings of the study found that there are four issues and challenges, which are lack of understanding and public awareness of waqf, management bureaucracy problems, lack of energy resources in the management of DWIPs as well as legal and financial barriers. The results of this study are intended to help spread awareness of DWIPs among the staff and gain attention from the university management. In relation to that, it can also increase the amount of knowledge endowment fund collection and benefit all UiTM Perlis Branch staff.