Distribution of Zakat for Communities Affected by COVID-19 in the Perspective of Socio-Economic Justice

Abstract

Zakat is one of the economic instruments in Islam whose main purpose is the enforcement of economic justice. Zakat during the Covid-19 pandemic is very much needed by the community to overcome economic problems for those affected by Covid-19. This article explores the problems of the fiqh arrangement of zakat distribution for people affected by Covid-19 and the fulfillment of their socio-economic justice rights through zakat instruments. This article was studied normatively with secondary legal materials using descriptive analysis. The results of the study show that zakat has been used to reduce poverty due to Covid-19. This has become the legitimacy of distributing zakat to communities affected by Covid-19. Based on MUI Fatwa No. 23 of 2020, zakat may be used for community needs due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Communities affected by Covid-19 can be classified as mustahiq faqir because they are victims of natural disasters and social disasters. The distribution and utilization of zakat to the poor affected by Covid-19 is basically the fulfillment of social and economic justice for the community, which is the essence of zakat as an economic instrument for the people.