In time the growing phenomenon of technological management adoption in zakat institutions, the new coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) has been spreading worldwide recently. This pandemic has been creating significant challenges for zakat administration worldwide. Such challenges demand the role of zakat in facing COVID-19 consequences. The topic of zakat, technology and COVID-19 has thus become a new arena among the experts for discussions.
The term ZakaTech is thus introduced in the 4th International Conference of Zakat (The 4th ICONZ). This term also has been familiarised by The International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA – Malaysia). ZakaTech refers to the use of technology in the management of zakat institutions. The digital transformation in critical aspects of zakat institutions management is predicted to realise the contribution of zakat to inclusive development, notably in the unprecedented time of COVID-19.
Moreover, even zakat functions as religious worship performed by Muslims, its nature may be synonymous with the social fund in the universal boundaries. Hence, in the current practice, zakat has been discussed upon its potentiality in financing the global call of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030.
Furthermore, Indonesia’s Zakat Outlook 2020 highlights the opportunities and challenges for zakat management upon being adaptable to the related issues of scholarly discourse in the global level, such as the notion of the circular and blue economy. In the recent outbreak of COVID-19, many of online web-series have been conducted addressing the role of zakat in facing the virus’ consequences.
From the above elaboration, therefore, the 4th ICONZ aims to address the challenges faced by zakat institutions from both technical and fundamental aspects related to the practice of zakat management in this so-called digital era, during COVID-19 outbreak and in the new normal period of COVID-19. With the theme ‘ZakaTech for Inclusive Development’, the 4th ICONZ 3rd plenary session raised the issue of blockchain and zakat. It covers the topic; Blockchain Technology for Zakat Institutions: Theory and Practices. In this session, the speakers who are both academicians and industry professionals were presented. Click here to watch again this session of the 4th ICONZ day 2.