JAKARTA — “Allahu akbar, allahu akbar, allahu akbar … la ilaha illallahu wa allahu akbar, allahu akbar, wa lillahi alhamd”. The echoes of takbir, tahlil, and tahmid resonate throughout the night of Eid al-Fitr. A customary practice among Indonesian communities, some are willing to stay awake to keep the recitations of these three phrases continuous.
On the other hand, there are those committed not to return home until the zakat is successfully distributed. A small number of them may be with Dompet Dhuafa. As a national zakat collector institution, its members are tasked with ensuring that zakat al-fitr funds reach those in need.
The time shows 02:15 AM WIB, entering the 1st of Shawwal, Eid al-Fitr 1445 Hijriyah, Wednesday (10/4/2024). The members of Dompet Dhuafa at the Philanthropy Building in South Jakarta remain alert, working tirelessly to manage the zakat entrusted by donors. Neng Nadiya Shaima is among them.
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As the School Network Officer, Neng Nadiya’s duty extended from the night of takbiran until just before the Imam ascended the pulpit for the Eid prayer. Throughout Ramadan, her role involved collaborating with schools as partners in goodness. Neng also encouraged teachers, students, and parents to enthusiastically engage in zakat and charity.
During Ramadan, numerous programs were offered to schools. However, Neng noted that most schools typically opted for these four main programs: Braille Qur’an Charity, Zakat al-Fitr, Ramadan parcels for Palestine, and Shopping with Orphans.
“These programs are particularly geared towards schoolchildren because they are already familiar with them,” Neng explained. “Dompet Dhuafa partners with schools to expand the reach and benefits of these programs, hoping to make a broader impact.”
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“In every school that partners with Dompet Dhuafa, we have what we call Zakat Days. Even though they are still children, they are obligated to pay zakat al-fitr. The schools encourage their students to pay their zakat directly to Dompet Dhuafa. During Zakat Days, the Dompet Dhuafa Fundraising Team is present to guide each student in fulfilling their zakat,” explained Neng.
This activity serves as a learning experience for each student to become accustomed to fulfilling their zakat obligation. This small act is hoped to have a significant impact on the progress and development of Islamic economics in Indonesia, and even globally, as they mature.
A Dompet Dhuafa fundraiser always educates students about zakat al-fitr, including how much zakat each individual should pay, at what age zakat becomes obligatory, what form zakat al-fitr takes, when it should be paid, and so forth. Afterward, the fundraising team guides the children in making the intention for zakat al-fitr and reciting the supplication afterward.
During Ramadan 1445 H this year, Neng stated that she visits partner schools every day. Especially from March 25, 2024, to April 4, 2024, it was a peak period of Ramadan activities in schools.
“On some days, I could visit 4 to 5 schools during those dates,” she mentioned.
On the last day of Ramadan, Neng did not visit any schools. However, she still had to come to the office to work on summarizing, matching data, and compiling the final report on all her activities throughout the entire month of Ramadan.
“Many schools choose to donate via bank transfer. So, that needs to be tracked in the finances. It’s important to reconcile the data so that everything is confirmed accurately,” she explained.
Like dozens of other Dompet Dhuafa team members, Neng completed her tasks around 03:00 AM WIB. Afterward, she headed to Bogor to perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer. Following that, she went straight to Sukabumi to meet and spend time with her family in her hometown.
This has been her routine every year during Ramadan since 2021, when she first became part of Dompet Dhuafa as a zakat collector. She also ensures that the zakat entrusted by donors is fully distributed to those eligible to receive it.
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One of the memorable aspects of her presence at school events is seeing the enthusiasm of students for caring about others. Additionally, she cherishes the joy of students during the “Cheerful Storytelling” activities. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Photo: Riza Muthohar
Editors: Dhika Prabowo, Ronna