Examining Dr. Nawawi Yahya Abdul Razak Majene’s Zakat Treatise, Shafiec UNU Jogja Collaborates with BAZNAS RI and Graduate Schools of UIN Yogyakarta and UIN Jakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia — The Shafiec Research Center of UNU Jogja in collaboration with the National Zakat Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (BAZNAS RI), the Graduate School of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, and the Graduate School of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Tahqiq of the Fiqh al-Zakat Treatise by Dr. Nawawi Yahya Abdul Razak Majene” at the UNU Yogyakarta campus on Saturday, December 13.

The FGD is part of a collaborative initiative entitled “Tracing the Ulama: Preserving Knowledge through Manuscripts”, a research and critical editing (tahqiq) program focusing on Fiqh al-Zakat, a monumental work by the Indonesian Islamic scholar Dr. Nawawi Yahya Abdul Razak Majene. The treatise consists of ten volumes comprising approximately 6,000 pages written in Arabic.

Director of the Shafiec Research Center UNU Jogja, Maria Fauzi, explained that Fiqh al-Zakat is one of the most comprehensive works on zakat jurisprudence ever written by a Southeast Asian scholar. However, the manuscript is currently in a fragmented condition, as several volumes are incomplete, physically damaged, and partially illegible, including in its digital versions.

“Therefore, this program aims to preserve, critically edit, and contextualize Dr. Nawawi’s work in order to bridge the classical heritage of zakat jurisprudence with the modern ecosystem of Islamic philanthropy and public policy,” she stated.

Through this four-institution collaboration, BAZNAS RI serves as the national zakat authority and policy stakeholder, UNU Jogja—through the Shafiec Research Center—contributes as a center for Islamic philanthropy studies and data innovation, while the Graduate Schools of UIN Sunan Kalijaga and UIN Syarif Hidayatullah bring expertise in manuscript studies and Islamic philology. The collaboration is expected to become a model for data-driven Islamic research with tangible social impact.

Maria Fauzi added that beyond manuscript preservation, the project is also directed toward strengthening evidence-based policymaking. The results of the tahqiq and related scholarly studies are expected to serve as references for BAZNAS RI and the Ministry of Religious Affairs in formulating zakat policies that are more responsive to contemporary socio-economic contexts.

“Strategically, this program is expected to produce a scientifically verified tahqiq edition of Fiqh al-Zakat that can serve as a primary reference for studies in Islamic law and philanthropy. From a policy perspective, the research is expected to strengthen the national zakat ecosystem, while culturally it represents an effort to revive the intellectual legacy of Nusantara ulama and reaffirm Indonesia’s position as a dynamic center of Islamic civilization,” she explained.

The FGD opened with a welcoming address by the Acting Rector of UNU Jogja, Dr. Suhadi, followed by program presentations by Program Director Maria Ulfa Fauzi, Lc., M.A., and Dr. Ahmad Rafiq. The discussion featured several scholars, including Dr. Muhammad Zain, Prof. Dr. Wajidi Sayadi, Prof. Moch. Nur Ichwan, Dr. Farid Saenong, and Dr. Phil. Zacky Khairul Umam.

The research framework was subsequently formulated by Dr. Suhadi together with Dr. Phil. Munirul Ikhwan and Dr. Najib Kailani. The discussion continued intensively throughout the day, focusing on the tahqiq methodology, the division of roles among muhaqqiq and research teams, and future directions for the project. [Latifah]