Zakat funds for hospitals, can I? On August 8, 2023, Dompet Dhuafa inaugurated the 7th waqf hospital in Jombang, namely Hasyim Asy’ari Tebuireng Hospital. This hospital was built with the special purpose of providing peace for the poor to be able to seek treatment and recover from their illness. For its operation, this waqf hospital is run using zakat funds. So, is there a law that allows zakat funds to run hospitals? Check out the explanation.
Who is the Zakat Fund for?
Allah Almighty has explained briefly in the Qur’an the issue of zakat. In particular, the Qur’an has also mentioned and explained who is entitled to receive zakat. In this case, the rulers did not have the right to distribute zakat, let alone divide it according to their own will. Because, they tend to be dominated by lust or have blind fanatics towards something.
In the Qur’an surah At-Tawbah verse 60, Allah clearly mentions the groups of people entitled to zakat. They are divided into 8 groups: fakir, miskin, amil, converts, riqab, gharimin, fi sabilillah, and ibn sabil. Thus, it is clear who are those who are entitled to zakat. So, how to distribute it and in what form can zakat be distributed?
Maqashid Sharia and Zakat
Allah Almighty has determined 8 groups of people entitled to receive zakat. The zakat fund can be given to them with a clear purpose and under the Shari’a. In this case, Maqashid Sharia becomes a guideline to determine what zakat funds can be used for by 8 groups of people mentioned in surah At-Tawbah verse 60.
Also read: RS Rumah Sehat Terpadu Dompet Dhuafa, Tempat Berobat Gratis di Bogor dengan Fasilitas Lengkap
Maqashid Sharia is the purpose, wisdom, or intention contained in everything that Allah decrees, be it in the Qur’an or through the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. As for the purpose, wisdom, and intent it contains benefits or goodness for all those affected by sharia or believers.
Maqashid Syariah is present on seven urgency of sharia, namely; 1) For scholars to be able to understand and establish the goals and intentions of the Shari’a; 2) That scholars are able to establish fatwas from a nash of the Qur’an and sunnah that are still general in nature, in accordance with the intention of the Maker of the Shari’a, namely Allah Almighty; 3) That scholars are able to analogize a law to a problem that has no law yet in the Qur’an and sunnah or ijtimak; 4) That the scholars be able to issue practical laws on a new problem facing the Ummah from the general postulates of the Qur’an and Sunnah; 5) So that scholars are able to answer all the problems of the people, especially regarding worship and muamalah. The problems in question include contemporary matters, which may not have been mentioned directly in the Qur’an, Sunnah, and ijtimak ulama before; 6) For scholars to be wise and fair in addressing differences of opinion among themselves to a problem, and reliable in providing moderate and proportionate solutions; and lastly 7) Especially for Muslims, Maqashid Sharia can provide Shari’a compliant and scientific answers to each case. Thus, Muslims can swiftly respond to the challenges of the times.
Also read: RS Rumah Sehat Terpadu Raih Penghargaan, BPJS Cibinong: RST Rumah Sakit Paling Berkomitmen
Maqashid Sharia itself consists of five main things. Among them, maintaining religion or hifdzun nafs, maintaining the soul or hifdzun diin, nurturing offspring or hifdzun nasl, maintaining property or hifdzun maal, and the last is maintaining reason or hifdzun aql. In this case, zakat funds to finance the treatment of the poor in hospitals are included in hifdzun nafs or preserving the soul. If a poor person is sick but cannot afford to pay for his treatment in the hospital to keep his soul alive, then zakat funds can be used for them. Because health is a primary thing in human life, and such cases are included in emergencies.
Zakat Fund for Hospitals
Previously, using zakat funds to establish and operate hospitals intended for poor people was one of the new problems. No verse or hadith explicitly explains this. For this reason, the gap of dissent among scholars is wide and deep.
If we refer to the Maqashid Sharia of zakat law, then one of the functions of zakat is to fulfil emergency needs. The scholars also agree that health is an emergency, considering that a person’s life will not run properly if health needs are unmet. In addition, one’s policy follows mashlahat.
If we look through these two sides, emergency needs and mashlahat, then the distribution of part of the zakat funds for health, is allowed. Especially for countries that do not provide health insurance to their citizens.
Dompet Dhuafa Waqf Hospital
Dompet Dhuafa as a humanitarian institution that stands on five pillars, and one of which is health, always upholds the commitment to nourish those who are sick, especially those who are duafa. Public health is undoubtedly an aspect that is very concerned by Dompet Dhuafa. Because, there are still too many people who have not received optimal health services. There are still too many people who are ‘inferior’ to seek treatment and get health services. Especially, if it is done in a hospital, because the cost is large. Not a few people also do not complete their inpatient and outpatient treatment because of helplessness when clashing with costs.
That reason then became the foundation of Dompet Dhuafa to present a hospital that can help the poor to seek treatment calmly and recover as before. Now, Dompet Dhuafa has 7 waqf hospitals that poor people can access spread across Java and Sumatra. RS Rumah Sehat Terpadu (RST) Dompet Dhuafa became the first waqf hospital inaugurated in 2012 in Jampang Village, Kemang District, Bogor and is still operating well today. RST Dompet Dhuafa Hospital is here thanks to the good hands of donors who entrust their assets to be managed by Dompet Dhuafa, so that they can benefit those in need.
In addition, Dompet Dhuafa not only focuses on efforts to nourish sick people but also tries to improve the health of healthy people so that they can be more productive.