Examining decentralized Zakah administration and poverty alleviation among Muslims in non-Shari ‘Ah states of North-central, Nigeria

Abstract

Zakah is one of the main pillars of social financing tools in Islam and has a huge impact on poverty alleviation and social welfare. Research on zakah tends to concentrate on the formalized and institutionalized zakah system among Muslim societies, while little attention has been paid to the decentralized zakah system in non-Shari’ah societies. This study hence sought to investigate decentralized zakah administration and poverty alleviation in North Central Nigeria with special attention to Minna, Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Qualitative research methodology was used to gain more insight into the experiences,
perceptions, and practices of zakah administration in the selected communities. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select eighteen respondents involved in various aspects of zakah administration, such as leaders of mosques, zakah administrators, zakah contributors, zakah recipients and community members. In-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The study found that the decentralized zakah administration is community-oriented, flexible and trust-based. The paper further found that zakah helps in alleviating poverty, supports small income generation activities and enhances social cohesion among Muslim communities. Commitment to religious beliefs, trust, transparency and personal involvement in the process of distribution were some of the factors influencing compliance with zakah. However, poor documentation, unequal distribution and weak administrative capacity were the main challenges encountered during the process.