Dear respected readers,
We hope 2023 has gotten off to a great start for everyone! This year the IF HUB issues will be reduced to three instead of the previous practice of four issues per year. The reduction is due to a change of focus at the ISRA Research Management Centre.
The first issue of IF HUB 2023 discusses one of the key components of the Islamic social finance sector: zakat. Authors from different backgrounds contribute their thoughts on ‘Economic Development via Zakat Transformation’.
The In Person Column features Prof. Dr Zulkarnain Muhamad Sori and Prof. Dr Shamsher Mohamad Ramadili Mohd, who highlight the governance issues in managing zakat funds, based on the experience of selected zakat institutions in Malaysia.
In the INCEIF Students & Alumni Column, Sahlu Rahman Wafy narrates the historical example of poverty alleviation during the era of Caliph Umar Abdul Aziz, while Elhadi Habbani recounts Ibn Khaldun’s theory of umran and how it can be applied for economic development in the modern era.
Meanwhile, the Practitioner’s Insights Column, which is written by Ahmad Husni Abdul Rahman and Mohd Faiz Rahim, emphasises the importance of enhancing governance of zakat authorities for impactful distribution.
On behalf of the editorial team, we would like to congratulate Prof. Dr Aishath Muneeza, who received an award from the Capital Market Development Authority of Maldives for her remarkable contribution to the success of Maldives’ capital market. Also, congratulations to INCEIF teams who successfully contributed towards enhancing research and development capabilities of the university: impactful research on urban farming and an Islamic environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework for small and medium enterprises.
Enjoy reading!
Dr Marjan Muhammad
Editor-in-Chief
