Awareness about zakat on gold among Maybank Jertih staff

Zakat is one of the Pillars of Islam that plays an important role in purifying wealth, reducing socio-economic gaps, and fostering community well-being. It is often associated with monotheism, prayer, and financial management in Islam and is mentioned 32 times in the Quran. Although zakat has a long history in the Islamic administrative system in Malaysia, British colonialism has weakened its management, causing imbalances in collection and distribution. Currently, the main challenges involve lack of public awareness, changes in the economic system, and the need for collaboration between zakat institutions and the Islamic banking sector to improve the collection and management of zakat, especially gold zakat. This study focuses on the knowledge and exposure of Maybank Jertih employees to gold zakat, which is an important component of Islamic finance to purify wealth and promote social justice. A quantitative approach was used by collecting data from 19 employees through a standardized questionnaire, which was analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. The results of the study showed that gold zakat is widely recognized as a religious requirement. Respondents acknowledged the importance of zakat in helping the poor and as a tool for distributing wealth. There are knowledge gaps in the calculation methods, differences in the forms of gold subject to zakat, and variations in the uruf rate by state. Barriers such as lack of institutional support and reliable information as well as time and resource constraints were also identified. Digital tools such as social media and official websites are important to raise awareness of gold zakat. In conclusion, understanding and compliance with gold zakat can be improved through educational programs, employer support, and systematic efforts. Maybank has the potential to play an important role in fostering a culture of zakat compliance, benefiting society and individual religious values.