State Authority for Management of Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah as Locally-Generated Revenue: A Case Study at Baitul Mal in Aceh

: Aceh is a region with an autonomy in implementing Islamic law (sharia) and Baitul Mal is one of the institutions formed by the local government to support it. This article aims to discuss the authority of the state in managing zakat, infaq


Introduction
In the history of Islamic law, the state has the authority to manage religious assets such as zakat (obligatory charity), infaq (voluntary disbursement), sadaqah (alms), and even waqf (endowment), jizyah (yearly tax), ghanimah (spoils of war), kharaj (agricultural tax), and grants. For that purpose, the state usually forms an institution that manages these assets known as Baitul Mal. 1 This institution functions to regulate state finances, support the poor, and create various forms of community economic empowerment. 2 In Indonesia, meanwhile, both government and nongovernmental institutions carry out the management of zakat, infaq, and sadaqah (ZIS) funds. The government established the National Amil Zakat Agency (Badan Amil Zakat Nasional/Baznas) at the central level and Zakat Management Unit (Unit Pengelola Zakat/UPZ) at the regional level. 3 On the other hand, non-governmental organizations such as institutions, community organizations, mosques and musalla (small mosques), and even companies have institutions that manage zakat, infaq, and sadaqah. 4 These non-governmental institutions then formed Baitul Mal wa al-Tamwil (BMT) which manages funds from the community. 5 Currently, there are around 3,874 BMTs operating throughout Indonesia managed by non-governmental institutions or organizations. BMTs have been around for more than ten years, starting with BMT Salman in the 1980s and BMT Ridho Gusti in West Java in the 1990s. Subsequently, the Small Business Incubation Center (Pusat Inkubasi Bisnis Usaha Kecil/PINBUK) was formed as a sharia cooperative and began to promote sharia cooperatives with the new label BMT in 1995; the number of BMTs increased rapidly until the end of 2010. The rapid growth of the BMTs began in 1995 with a large spike in numbers during the world and Asia's monetary crises in 1997 and 1998. 6 BMTs have been proven to empower people in various productive businesses and have reduced the poverty rate in Indonesia; still, it is undeniable that many of the poor come from Muslims. 7 Therefore, as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia should have a large state income to assist the country in overcoming social inequality in society. For example, in terms of zakat, the number of the Indonesian Muslim population is directly proportional to the magnitude of the potential for zakat. Zakat potential in Indonesia reaches IDR 327.6 trillion, and the amount will be even greater when added with infaq, sadaqah, and waqf. In terms of waqf, there are Islamic scholars allowing it as long it is not for the construction of houses of worship (mosques Likewise in Aceh, after the conflict and tsunami, the level of economic well-being continued to decline. Therefore, zakat, infaq, and sadaqah managed by Baitul Mal have duties and functions for development and economic empowerment for the poor. In this context, the Government of Aceh has established Baitul Mal which has the authority to manage ZIS based on Qanun Aceh Number 10 of 2007. The Aceh Government through the Baitul Mal institution has empowered the community's economy in the form of distributing ZIS. Zakat not only functions as a vertical worship Allah but also functions as a horizontal form of worship. Zakat has vital and strategic benefits from the point of view of Islamic teachings as well as from the aspect of community economic development. Paying zakat, sociologically, is a form of social solidarity obligation. 9 Baitul Mal is an institution established by the government to store and manage ZIS, especially in Aceh. Referring to Aceh Qanun Number 10 of 2007, Baitul Mal is a Non-Structural Regional Institution that is given the authority to manage and develop zakat, waqf, and religious assets, with the aim of benefiting people and serving as guardians/supervisors towards orphans and/or their assets as well as managing inherited assets with no guardianship based on Islamic law. 10 Nonetheless, Baitul Mal as an institution authorized by the state to manage ZIS is still questionable for its contribution. This is especially valid for economic development and community empowerment and Baitul Mal's contribution to the Regional Original Revenue (Pendapatan Asli Daerah/PAD) for Aceh.
Several studies have existed on the management of ZIS by Baitul Mal. Mas'udi, for example, concluded that the state has the legal authority to manage zakat as an instrument for social welfare and justice. 11 Musa, meanwhile, emphasized that ZIS funds which can be used as PAD will clearly provide added value economically for Aceh which has special autonomy, 12 though he did not mention the authority of the state. Likely, Nasrullah explained that zakat funds managed by Baitul Mal contribute to economic empowerment in the form of business capital loans that function to improve people's welfare. 13 Syahbandir et.al. also emphasized that zakat can also be used as a tax deduction as stipulated in Aceh Government Law number 11 of 2006 and is currently still waiting for regulations from the Minister of Finance. 14 The above research partially discusses the authority of the Baitul Mal as a state institution in managing ZIS as PAD but without explicitly explanation. Therefore, based on this, this study aims to discuss state authority in managing ZIS. It used the theory of authority in constitutional law while paying attention to several relevant new legal regulations and qanuns in Aceh. It therefore aims to complement existing previous studies.

Method
This research is an empirical legal study using a case study approach, namely research that focuses on one particular object that studies it as a case. 15 A case study is an approach that focuses on locations, and cases that occur at a certain time, making the cases more specific. Likewise, research on Baitul Mal in the management of ZIS in several districts/cities is certainly different.
The theory used in this study is the theory of authority. Authority (gezag) is formal power that comes from the power granted by law. Within authority, there are powers (rechtsbe voegdheden). 16 Therefore, the theory of authority examines the power of government to exercise their authority, both in the public and private law domains. 17 Through this theory, the study discussed the authority of the state, especially the Baitul Mal Aceh institution in managing ZIS.
The data collection techniques consisted of in-depth interviews and documents study. Interviews were conducted with 5 respondents from the staff of the Baitul Mal of Pidie Regency and the Baitul Mal of Sabang City, as well as the management staff of the Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) of Pidie Regency and Sabang City. The documents examined included the laws, qanun, or legal rules as well as reports on Baitul Mal's activities and finances.

Discussions and Result Baitul Mal as a State Institution
The management of zakat by the state has a historical basis of Islamic law starting from the time of the Prophet Muhammad to the time of the caliphate of Islam to this present time. At the time of the Prophet, Mu'az ibn Jabal was ordered to collect zakat in Yemen. Likewise, Caliph Abu Bakr fought against those who did not want to issue their zakat in the city of Medina. Caliph Umar ibn Khattab then professionally established Baitul Mal as an institution that managed sources of state finances and funds. 18 Zakat was very well-managed during the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus under the leadership of Caliph Umar ibn Abdul Aziz. At that time in the Islamic dominion, it was difficult to find the needy and the poor who were entitled to receive zakat. 19 Likewise, during the Abbasid period, the management of zakat through Baitul Mal was increasingly widespread, and then Abu Yusuf, a qadhi (Islamic judge) during the time of Caliph Harun al-Rashid, authored the book of al-Kharaj (tax). 20 Furthermore, during the al-Ayyubid dynasty, Salahuddin al-Ayyubi in Egypt granted state-owned land for the development of educational institutions for the Ahlusunnah wa al-Jama'ah school of thought such as Maliki, Hanafi, Shafi'i, and Hanbali. 21 Therefore, the authority of the state in managing zakat, infaq, and sadaqah continued during the Islamic empire in Indonesian Nusantara, starting from Aceh, Palembang, Banten, Mataram, Demak, Banjar, Goa-Tallo, Bone, and Ternate. The state through the Islamic scholars, who acted as qadhi, mufti (Islamic jurist), penghulu (headman), and petta kalie (advisors to the sultans), managed religious assets. 22 This shows that the state in the sense of the Islamic kingdom at the time had the authority to manage ZIS assets.
This practice has then continued until Indonesia became independent from colonialists. Various legal rules have been made by the state to regulate and manage ZIS. 23 The management of religious assets in Aceh has entered a period of transformation of independence since the Religious Assets Supervision Agency (Badan Penertiban Harta Agama/BPHA) was promulgated in 1973 based on the Governor's Decree Number 5 of 1973. 24 The institution was later changed into the Religious Assets Agency ( Previously, Law Number 11 of 2006 concerning the Government of Aceh states that the Baitul Mal Aceh and District/City Baitul Mal manage zakat, waqf assets, and religious assets. In this context, the role of Baitul Mal is closely related to the implementation of Islamic law in Aceh since 2001. One of the objectives of Islamic law is the economic empowerment of the people through Baitul Mal, in addition to Islamic banks. Baitul Mal was established based on clear legal rules to manage zakat, infaq, and sadaqah funds. Likewise, the procedures for managing zakat as PAD by Baitul Mal are also regulated in qanun and governor regulations. The expenditure or distribution of zakat is adjusted to the guidance of Islamic law. The form of zakat distribution consists of the provision of business capital to productive zakat recipients through the Productive Zakat Management Unit (Unit Pengelola Zakat Produktif). 25 Therefore, Baitul Mal is an institution that manages religious wealth received by the state and distributes it to those who are entitled to receive it. In this sense, the funds managed by Baitul Mal can be categorized as state income.
The financing provided by Baitul Mal is not only consumptive but also productive in the fields of education, religion, and economy. The application of productive zakat is the provision of business capital loans based on qardh al-hasan to motivate business properly and maximally. This program has a significant impact on improving people's welfare 26 , for example, though providing business capital to the poor for farming, animal husbandry, small traders, home industries, and assistance with working tools.
Theoretically, based on the rule of law, the authority of the State, in this case, the Aceh Government that forms the Baitul Mal has historical, juridical, and Islamic law-based powers. According to Mas'udi, the government shall go through official institutions that regulate and manage the affairs of ZIS. The main purpose of zakat is not only to worship Allah, but also to be a medium to enforce social justice in the economic context; the main part of zakat's objective. The state as a political institution that has legal authority is present as amil (zakat collector) to uphold justice and to provide welfare for the poor. 27 In practice, the collection of zakat and infaq is directly carried out by deducting employee salaries. The issue of zakat, in principle, is not a problem for the people as zakat is an obligation, unlike infaq, which is voluntary. Zakat is an act of worship and a social obligation for aghniya' (rich) after their assets meet the minimum limit (nishab) and a span of one year (haul). 28 The purpose of zakat is to manifest equitable distribution of justice and the economy. This is different from infaq because infaq is a voluntary expenditure that someone makes as much as he/she wants whenever one gets sustenance. 29 Furthermore, with the enactment of Law aside from the cases of marriage, inheritance, wills, and grants that have always been the court's authority. 30 Hence, historically, Baitul Mal from the past to modern times had been under state authority. 31 Then, theoretically, the management of religious assets in the form of ZIS carried out by the state will be well managed based on Islamic law.

The Authority of Baitul Mal in the Management of Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah in Aceh
Aceh Qanun Number 10 of 2018 stipulates that Baitul Mal Aceh has the authority to: a) make and formulate policies related to planning, management, development, evaluation, monitoring, reporting, verification, control, socialization, supervision of trustees, and certification; b) submit a general policy plan for the implementation of BMA to Sharia Advisory Board (Dewan Pertimbangan Syariah/DPS) for approval; c) submit a plan for the collection and distribution of zakat and/or infaq to DPS for approval; d) supervise the management and development as well as certification by the BMA Secretariat; e) determine the amount of zakat and/or infaq that must be distributed; f) establish and strengthen UPZ in SKPA and BUMD Aceh; g) facilitate the establishment and inauguration of UPZ in government agencies, state-owned enterprises, private enterprises, and cooperatives in Aceh; h) conduct guidance on the management of waqf and nazir assets; i) develop BMK institutional administration; and j) provide an approval of financing for certification and/or salvage of waqf assets. 32 Baitul Mal institutions in Aceh at the provincial, district/city, sub-district, and even village levels, therefore, have the authority to The authority of Baitul Mal in managing zakat is furthermore explained by Zulhilmi, the Head of Baitul Mal of Sabang City. He said that the current Baitul Mal structure was still based on the previous 2007 Qanun, and that the structure of Baitul Mal in Sabang and West Aceh had not been screened at all because the term of office had not yet ended. Once the term of office is due, the structure will have to take another test to conform to the current applicable Qanun. The Qanun Number 3 of 2021, which is a refinement of Qanun Number 10 of 2018. The use of the latest rules will certainly affect the authority of Baitul Mal in the management of zakat and infaq. The Chairman of Baitul Mal Pidie also added that professional zakat (zakat profesi) since 2013 was the issuance of Qanuns and Governor Circulars regarding zakat and infaq which emphasized that all civil servants are required to issue zakat as income. Yet, in 2018, the Aceh Qanun concerning the Baitul Mal was issued, which requires professional zakat to be paid. In turn, Baitul Mal faced an obstacle in infaq management because from 2017 to 2020, there was no professional zakat in Pidie District, whereas there were only three areas of infaq that they could prosper, for example, economic empowerment, achievement, and poverty alleviation. Infaq is still subject to the Governor Regulation of 2013 because it has not been revoked. 35 The findings of the interview showed that there has been a change in the authority to manage zakat and infaq by Baitul Mal in Pidie District. There was a change regarding the non-compatibility of professional zakat in the old 2013 Governor Circulars regarding zakat and infaq to become compulsory in the latest 2018 regulation.
Likewise, the Chairman of the MPU Pidie disagrees that civil servant salaries are categorized as professional zakat. Furthermore, he argued that salaries cannot be handed over to Baitul Mal even though all civil servant salaries are still deducted by 2.5%, as professional zakat. For more details, the authority of the Provincial and Regency/City Baitul Mal in Aceh based on the rule of law can be seen in table 1 below: Based on the legal provisions in table 1 above, it can be emphasized that the Baitul Mal institution in Aceh has the authority to manage ZIS. This authority is based on the mandate regulated by laws, for instance, the state laws, qanuns, mayor, and regent regulations. Although there are two opinions about funds from civil servants, namely which categorize them as professional zakat and as infaq, all these funds are still managed by Baitul Mal.

Zakat, Infaq, and Sadaqah as Locally-Generated Revenue in Aceh
Aceh is a region with special authority based on Law Number 18 of 2001 and Law Number 11 of 2006 concerning the Governance of Aceh and therefore has special authority to regulate the issue of zakat. 36 Both laws have stated that ZIS is affirmed as one of the Locally-Generated Revenue sources. 37 If zakat has been declared a source of locally-generated revenue, zakat shall be deposited into the regional treasury. Then, zakat distribution must be subject to the regulations on regional financial management, including Law Number 17 of 2003 concerning State Finance, Government Regulation Number 58 of 2005 concerning Regional Financial Management, Permendagri No. 13 of 2006 concerning Guidelines for Regional Financial Management, and other regulations related to locallygenerated revenue. 38 Based on these laws, the funds received by Baitul Mal can be used as locally-generated revenue which functions to assist the Aceh government in developing the economy and empowering the community. 39 For example, Baitul Mal in Sabang City is in charge of not only managing ZIS but also empowering, socializing, and developing the funds in accordance with the provisions of the sharia. Additionally, in terms of collecting zakat, Baitul Mal prioritizes people who have a source of income from the City Expenditure Revenue Budget (Anggaran Pendapat Belanja Kabupaten/APBK) including State Civil Apparatus (Aparatur Sipil Negara/ASN) and business entities whose budget sources come from the APBK.
Baitul Mal manages zakat and infaq collected according to the qanun orders. This means that ASN and business entities as well as the public are obliged to pay zakat to the Baitul Mal institution. Therefore, many people have paid their zakat to Baitul Mal suggesting that public awareness to pay zakat is high. However, some people do not pay zakat through such institutions; still, income from zakat funds from the community provides great contributions to the regions. 40 In other words, according to the Baitul Mal management staff, the funds from ASN are professional zakat, while according to the MPU, it is a voluntary infaq. The Head of the Sabang Ulama Consultative Council explained that other than people whose income comes from the APBK, such as ASN and business entities, not all elements of society are required to pay zakat toward Baitul Mal. Meanwhile, the employee is not obliged to issue zakat, because it is included in the infaq scheme even though in practice, part of the employee's salary is deducted collectively to become zakat or infaq. 41 Further, the Sabang Regional Secretary described that if the salaries of civil servants were not only deducted for zakat but also infaq, it would certainly cause a polemic within the community. This is mainly because of legal differences in which zakat was obligatory in accordance with the law and regulated in amount, whereas infaq was voluntary. In addition, he said that there has been PERWAL related to such deduction. He also did not agree that employees' salaries are categorized as infaq because infaq is free or voluntary with no fixed amount, and the salary deductions should be monthly, not annually like zakat. 42 Even so, this is not a problem because, in fact, the deduction of funds from ASN is still carried out by 1% and goes into the Baitul Mal account every month which can be categorized as professional zakat or infaq.
In Baitul Mal of Pidie, the realization of revenue coming from the community, including from employees based on qanuns, has already followed the religious rules. The Head of Baitul Mal Pidie mentioned that the infaq collection has originated from ASN and entrepreneurs, which they took 1% from ASN and 0.5% from entrepreneurs every month. The deductions have been stated in the qanun, which was promulgated based on Islamic law. The basis of the qanun took into account the values of Islamic law. The funds are used for people who are entitled to receive them. 43 In relation to this, Baitul Mal at the provincial level has the authority to manage religious assets from the community, institutions, and companies. Although there are different views between the regions regarding the permissibility of civil servants to pay zakat or infaq, the difference has not shown any significant problem, especially since the Acehnese people's awareness and trust of Baitul Mal are high. These funds have been able to contribute to locally-generated revenue in Aceh.
The locally-generated revenue from zakat in Aceh is enormous. The main goal of zakat management is to support the government in efforts to empower and alleviate poverty and reduce regional financial burdens. Zakat has been part of Aceh's locally-generated revenue, which is projected to keep increasing and becomes a significant source of income. Table 2 below is the revenue report for Baitul Mal Aceh for five years (2017-2021) sourced from zakat:  The groups of recipients mentioned in table 3 are recorded, verified, and analyzed for eligibility to receive zakat according to Islamic law. The needy refer to people over the age of 60 who are old, chronically ill, and have neither income nor family to support. The poor refers to people who have income but are not sufficient, and do not get help from other parties. Amil refers to an individual or a nongovernmental institution serving as zakat volunteers. Converts are those converting to Islam, receiving zakat in the form of scholarships and economic empowerment assistance. Gharimin allocation is usually in the form of incidental natural disaster assistance while fi sabilillah refers to assistance to individuals or Islamic institutions who are unable to carry out activities such as developing da'wah and Islamic activities and increasing human resources. Ibn Sabil, at last, refers to the allocation of scholarships for poor students from elementary to college levels. 46 In general, assistance and distribution to the groups mentioned above are conducted in two forms: the first is consumptive in nature, such as providing scholarships and medical expenses as well as building houses for the poor and needy, and the second is productive zakat, such as business capital assistance or business equipment, and business capital in the form of soft loans (qardul hasan). This program fosters recipients, namely individuals or small business groups in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar by providing business capital to poor farmers, small traders, home industries, livestock farmers, and providing goods such as motorized tricycles and work tools. Business capital assistance revolves around Gampong (village) Baitul Mal (in collaboration with Gampong) which aims to increase small and medium enterprises within the community. 47 The process of distributing and providing assistance is carried out by submitting a proposal that is strictly verified.
The management of religious assets carried out by Baitul Mal Aceh has got recognition and appreciation from many parties. It is clear from some awards not only at the provincial level but also at the national level. This can be seen in table 4 as follows:  Table 4 describes that the management of zakat, infaq, and sadaqah funds has received recognition at the regional and national levels. The awards are an acknowledgment of the commitment, contribution, achievement, and partisanship of Baitul Mal in managing, distributing, fostering, and empowering groups in need based on the legal rules.
According to the legal rules in Aceh, zakat has become locallygenerated revenue and has been included in the state financial management system managed by Baitul Mal. This institution is an official amil zakat established by the Aceh Government as a nonstructural and independent institution. However, there are polemics and regulatory conflicts, and therefore zakat as locally-generated revenue should be specifically treated and regulated which differentiates it from other sources of regional income. The mechanism offered is to place zakat funds in a special account that is not delegated to other recipients. 48 Further, to avoid any polemics, the use of zakat should not be equated with other funds. It is the awareness of the Acehnese people to pay zakat, and the order to pay zakat is not only a religious one but it also a state order as it has been stipulated in the laws and qanuns. These laws and qanuns were made possible because Aceh has implemented Islamic law whose rules are lex specialist (specificity). Because of this, the regulation on zakat in Aceh should also be treated as a lex specialist within the framework of national law, such as the implementation of sharia (Islamic law) in Aceh but it remains within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Furthermore, it should be noted that Baitul Mal as an institution legally mandated to manage ZIS has provided assistance to the poor and the economic empowerment. Although there are still technical and juridical issues (for example, different legal rules are understood by districts/cities), Baitul Mal has already contributed to the economic development of the people in Aceh.

Conclusion
Baitul Mal as a state institution has the authority to manage ZIS based on legal rules that are specifically enforced in Aceh as an autonomous region. It has contributed to the economic development of the people in Aceh as proven by various awards received. The management of zakat fund, furthermore, is not only for consumptive such as assistance to the poor, scholarship assistance, and homes for the poor, but also productive such as business capital and assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises. Therefore, the management of ZIS carried out by the Baitul Mal is based on the authority granted by laws and regulations including PAD. On the other hand, based on Islamic law, the management of zakat must be viewed lex specialist according to the national legal system in Indonesia.