Gus Yaqut Launches Cash Waqf for Civil Servants

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, or known as Gus Yaqut, launched the Cash Waqf Movement for civil servants at his ministry.

“The cash waqf is a strategic program that will bring changes to waqf in Indonesia,” said the minister in a press release here on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020.

In the launching event on Monday, Dec. 28, Yaqut hoped that this movement will encourage the public to understand more about waqf.

According to him, waqf is among the economic pillars that potentially bring prosperity to the people. Cash waqf is a fundamental approach to strengthen the Islamic economy and finance.

“The practice of waqf is widely known among the Indonesian people. Ulema, Islamic boarding schools and Islamic organizations have often introduced waqf. So it is not surprising that Indonesia has a large potential in waqf,” Gus Yaqut added.

Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo welcomed the cash waqf movement that started from the state civil apparatus within the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

“Hopefully this waqf movement which is for the benefit of the ummah will not only be implemented at the Ministry of Religious Affairs but also all civil servants at the central, provincial, district, to village levels,” said Tjahjo.

As of Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, the cash waqf movement in the Religious Affairs Ministry reached Rp3.5 billion. The program was part of the ministry's strategic plan for 2020-2024, which was also the implementation of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Edict in 2002 noted in the Waqf Law No. 41 of 2004.

Also Read: Religious Affairs Minister Gus Yaqut Talks of Islamic Populism

ANTARA