Revitalisasi Peran Tokoh Agama dalam Distribusi Zakat Harta Perspektif Hukum Islam dan Dinamika Sosial Kontemporer

Abstract

This study examines how religious leaders in Sentol Daya Village play a central role in the distribution of zakat assets within a socio-religious configuration that remains deeply reliant on their moral and spiritual authority. The main question explored concerns the patterns, mechanisms, and forms of social legitimacy that shape the role of religious leaders in zakat management, as well as how the challenges and opportunities for strengthening this role are understood within the framework of contemporary Islamic law. The study positions itself as an empirical normative analysis that integrates field findings with the islamic law framework and recent scholarship on zakat governance. The discussion develops through an in-depth analysis of zakat distribution practices grounded in social relations, trust, and religious patronage, alongside an evaluation of structural constraints such as limited institutional capacity, the absence of formal governance mechanisms, and local economic dynamics. The main findings indicate that the role of religious leaders remains pivotal due to their strong social legitimacy, yet requires enhanced capacity, transparency, and institutional integration to align more effectively with the demands of modern zakat governance and the broader goals of social justice in Islamic law.