Determination of Zakat Recipient to Flood Victims

Flood is a natural disaster that occurs annually in Malaysia. Every year flood happens at a minor, moderate, and even at a major level. Different levels of this disaster cause different impacts on people, infrastructures as well as nature. At moderate and major floods level, the victims are evacuated from their home to the shelters, there are losses of life due to drowning, the destruction of infrastructures and nature like the death of livestock and animals, the plants are in ruin due to immersion, and there are water contaminations with the spreading of waterborne diseases. This situation causes the victims to suffer huge losses such as sources of income and threats to their lives following the aftermath of the flood. As a result, the victims have difficulty to survive. Hence in this situation, the role of zakat as a mechanism of social security can ease the burden of the flood victims. However, no specific ruling was issued to determine the status of flood victims in any of the categories of zakat recipients. In Malaysia, a fatwa was issued in early 1988, which the flood victims were not categorised in any of the recipients. Meanwhile, in irshad fatwa from Mufti of Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur in 2015 inclined to place flood victims under al-gharimin recipients. In order to achieve the research objective, this study will conducted the library and field work via interviews with selected informants. Qualitative data collected will be analysed to clarify the severity level of flood and their impact towards deciding qualified recipients according to the situation of the victims. The study found that, the qualified recipients can be determined based on the severity of floods that occur. In other words, expert opinions can be used to determine whether the floods are minor, moderate or major level. Therefore, it was found that only the flood victims at a major level could be placed under the al-gharimin recipients, which are comparable with their losses. Thus, this determination is assured to bring justice and help to the flood victims in order for them to continue their lives better, post-flood.