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The contribution of infaq funds to socio-economic resilience during COVID-19 pandemic: An Islamic economics insight from Indonesia


Hamzah Hamzah
Agus Yudiawan

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse the contribution of infaq funds to the social and economic resilience of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic in  West Papua, Indonesia. This study uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative studies. Qualitative data were collected  through focus group discussions with administrators, Dai [Islamic preacher] and mosque congregations to obtain information about the form and  mechanism for disbursing infaq funds. Furthermore, the state of distribution of infaq funds is confirmed to the recipient community with an online  survey as quantitative data. The data obtained were tabulated and analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics using multiple linear regression  assisted by SPSS software 25 version. The research findings show that: firstly, the form of the social-economic contribution of infaq funds is carried out  by: (1) financial assistance, (2) social assistance, and (3) health assistance. Secondly, infaq, an instrument of Islamic economics, can contribute to tackling  the social and economic impacts of the community amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Thirdly, of the three forms of assistance provided, the health assistance  aspect contributed 38.320%, the financial assistance aspect amounted to 37.173% and 24.339% to social assistance. This study shows that the community  most needed health and financial assistance from infaq funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Contribution: This study complements the existing literature and provides a new scientific treasure. That the infaq fund, as a philanthropy, turned out to  be able to contribute to realising the social-economic resilience of the community during a disease outbreak. The form of health, financial and social  assistance from infaq funds is a priority in accelerating the community’s economic recovery. It can be a countermeasure to socioeconomic impacts during  disasters and disease outbreaks.


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2072-8050
print ISSN: 0259-9422