Development and Validation of Religious Conditionalities for Conditional Cash Transfers in Zakat Institutions in Malaysia

Ineffective zakat distribution arises from the attitudes of certain asnaf (zakat recipient) individuals, who, due to low religious knowledge and practice, become unproductive, unmotivated, and complacent in their status. The current zakat distribution model, which grants full ownership to the asnaf, prevents the implementation of responsibility-based interventions to address these behaviors. To address this, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program is an important poverty eradication initiative at the global level, which requires positive behavioral changes from the poor as a condition to continue receiving aid. This program has integrated objectives, namely: i) poverty reduction, ii) human capital development, and the long-term goal of iii) breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. The behavioral conditions established by existing CCT programs cover dimensions such as education, health, and employment. While various socio-economic impacts have been achieved, some global CCT programs have yet to effectively and sustainably achieve their targeted outcomes. In Malaysia, the success of outcomes in lifting the asnaf out of poverty remains low, and the development of zakat distribution programs is somewhat ineffective. Addressing these issues, this concept paper aims to develop a behavioral intervention for the religious dimension of CCT programs from an Islamic perspective using zakat funds. The proposed methodology for constructing the religious behavioral conditionality instrument involves a systematic literature review (SLR) and the use of the Multi-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) for content validity testing. This study is expected to make a significant contribution to both the academic field and practical, sustainable interventions for poverty eradication and social welfare. The research is also anticipated to develop a crucial mechanism that leverages the universal principles of Islam to address socio-economic challenges and promote the development of the ummah, not only in Malaysia but also in other countries globally.