ZAKAT DISCLOSURE INDEX BY ISLAMIC BANKS AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Paying zakat and disclosing it transparently to stakeholders is one of the ways to demonstrate the Islamic ethical value and accountability of Islamic finance institutions (IFIs). Nevertheless, comprehensive zakat information disclosure practices by Islamic banks (IBs) and Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) have received less attention. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop a comprehensive Zakat Disclosure Index (ZDI) for IBs and DFIs and measure the ZDI level of these institutions. Content analysis was performed through financial statements, annual reports, annual integrated reports and annual sustainability reports for four consecutive financial years from 2016 to 2019. The entire population of 16 IBs and 6 DFIs was selected. The ZDI was developed with two categories based on the liability of paying zakat. The scoring was divided into three groups: (i) mandatory financial information versus voluntary financial information versus mandatory non-financial information versus voluntary non-financial information; (ii) mandatory versus voluntary; and (iii) financial versus non-financial. The result showed that the overall disclosure level was at 60 percent, where mandatory disclosure was at 43 percent and voluntary disclosure was at 17 percent, while for financial and non-financial information, the scores were not much different at 25 percent to 33 percent. The study’s implication lies in establishing astandardised zakat index, enhancing comparability among reporting entities. Furthermore, the study holds importance for regulators as it aids in assessing the sufficiency of existing regulations and guidelines. It can guide regulatory actions to uphold the principles of maqasid shariah in reporting practices.