72% of Indonesian Muslims Interested in Cash Waqf, But Only 5.8% Actually Donate

A recent survey by Indikator Politik Indonesia has uncovered a striking paradox in Indonesia's Waqf (charitable donation) practices. Despite a strong interest among Muslims to contribute through cash Waqf, the number of individuals actually making these donations remains remarkably low.

According to the survey, a substantial 72.3% of Indonesian Muslims expressed interest in donating cash Waqf. This figure rose to 79.5% among those aware that Waqf could be done in cash. However, this high level of interest does not translate into widespread practice. The survey found that only 5.8% of Indonesian Muslims had made a Waqf donation in the preceding 12 months, with the vast majority, 94.2%, not having done so.

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So 5.8 percent of Indonesians claim to give Waqf. Of that 5.8 percent, 73 percent is in the form of cash Waqf. Then 26.2 percent is in the form of goods or property.

Further details from the survey indicate that of the 5.8% who did donate, 73% made cash Waqf donations, while 26.2% donated goods or property. The research also revealed that Waqf behavior tends to be repetitive. Approximately 60% of the 5.8% who donated in the past year were repeat donors, while only about 2.2% were new donors. This suggests that the primary challenge for developing national Waqf is not just retaining current donors but also attracting new ones.

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About 60 percent of the 5.8 percent are previous Waqf payers. While those who are truly new are 2.2 percent. So roughly around 40 percent.