P137 THE EMPOWERMENT OF ZAKAT IN IMPROVING THE SOCIAL WELLBEING OF ASNAF FAMILIES IN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Abstract

Zakat occupies an important position in Brunei Darussalam’s Islamic social welfare system and is administered through the Department of Zakat, Waqf and Baitulmal Affairs (JUZWAB) under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Despite institutional reforms since JUZWAB’s establishment in 2023 and the implementation of empowerment initiatives such as the Pengupayaan Asnaf Zakat (PROPAZ) programme and the BIBD Special Entrepreneurial Empowerment and Development Scheme (SEED), questions remain concerning whether zakat distribution and empowerment programmes genuinely improve the social wellbeing and self-reliance of asnaf families. These concerns were highlighted during His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’s unscheduled visit to the Ministry of Religious Affairs on 8 July 2025, when issues relating to distribution delays, recipient monitoring, governance, and the need to promote self-sufficiency were raised. Situated within this reform context, the present study examines the mechanisms and reforms of zakat assistance administered by JUZWAB, analyses asnaf families’ lived experiences and perceptions of zakat assistance in relation to their social wellbeing and self-reliance, and evaluates the effectiveness of Brunei’s zakat distribution system against the objectives of Maqasid al-Shariah. Adopting a qualitative approach grounded in a systematic review of the literature, the study synthesises existing scholarly works, policy documents, and reported evidence on zakat distribution and empowerment programmes, including the PROPAZ and BIBD SEED initiatives, as well as the governance concerns raised in the 2025 royal titah. The reviewed literature will be analysed thematically according to the five essentials of Maqasid al-Shariah: the preservation of religion, life, intellect, lineage, and wealth. The study is expected to contribute recipient-centred evidence on asnaf wellbeing in Brunei Darussalam and to propose a Maqasid-aligned framework for strengthening zakat governance, monitoring, accountability, and the transition of asnaf recipients from dependency towards sustainable self-reliance.

Keywords: zakat; asnaf families; empowerment; social wellbeing; JUZWAB; PROPAZ; BIBD SEED; Maqasid al-Shariah; Brunei Darussalam.