Aligning Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The Role of ZAWAF UiTM

The Zakat, Sadaqah and Waqf Division (ZAWAF) is one of the Responsibility Centre (PTJ) at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), responsible for managing the collection and distribution of zakat in UiTM. Started in 1998 with the appointment of UiTM as an Assistant Amil at the higher education institute by the Selangor Zakat Board, ZAWAF guarantee that the roles and responsibilities entrusted are carried out in the best possible way, ensuring that the management of zakat collection and distribution at UiTM is in line with certain objectives set in the Al-Quran and Al-Hadith. Recently, the United Nations (UN) has outlined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include social, economic, and environmental elements. Hence, the purpose of this article is to outline the objectives of zakat in Islam and analyse the relationship between zakat and the SDGs. This study employed a qualitative methodology, collecting data through library research. The findings were analyzed using inductive, deductive, and comparative approaches. The analysis highlights the objectives of zakat from multiple perspectives, including religion, zakat payers, zakat recipients, as well as national, economic, and social development. Therefore, the study concludes that the objectives of zakat are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in promoting social justice, reducing poverty, and supporting national development.