Baznas: No Zakat Funds Used for ‘Islam Ala Prabowo’ Books
Baznas Denies ZIS Funds Were Used for Book on Prabowo and Islamic Values
Kabarsaji.com – Baznas - Indonesia’s National Amil Zakat Agency, known as Baznas, has said that public Zakat, Infaq, and Charity funds were not used to write, print, or distribute Islam Ala Prabowo: Cara Prabowo Subianto Mengamalkan Ajaran Islam, a book examining President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership through an Islamic-values lens.
The clarification addresses questions surrounding Baznas’ presence at the book’s 2025 launch. The institution said its role was confined to institutional engagement and religious missionary literacy, rather than financial support for the publication or political activity.
Public Funds Were Not Involved
Baznas Chair Sodik Mudjahid said the agency treats public trust in the management of Zakat, Infaq, and Charity, commonly referred to as ZIS, as both an honor and an ongoing obligation. He stressed that the agency needed to make its position clear so that its involvement in the launch would not be misinterpreted.
“First, the production and publication of the book did not use any zakat, infaq, and charity funds entrusted by the public through Baznas,” Sodik said in a statement quoted on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
He added that Baznas personnel did not serve as writers or publishers of the 368-page work. In his explanation during the agency’s national coordination meeting, Sodik described the launch participation as part of religious-literacy cooperation involving the Indonesian Ulema Council, the Ministry of Religion, and the House of Representatives.
That cooperation, he said, should not be read as Baznas entering practical politics. The distinction is significant because the institution collects and manages funds entrusted by the public for religious and social purposes. Its statement focused on separating those resources from the book project and from interpretations of its appearance at the launch.
A Book Framing Prabowo Through Religious Themes
Published by Atmosphere Publishing House on July 14, 2025, Islam Ala Prabowo presents discussion of Prabowo Subianto’s character, leadership, and relationship with Islamic values. The publication contains essays and viewpoints attributed to religious figures and academics, offering varied reflections on Prabowo’s public leadership.
The listed authors are Abdur Rahim Hasan, Mush'ab Mugoddas, and Rikal Dikri. In the preface, they said the book was designed to offer a different portrayal of Prabowo. Their framing emphasizes his support for religious initiatives and community service while noting that he is not portrayed as a traditional “sarong-clad Islamic student.”
“Even though he himself is not a sarong-clad Islamic student,” the authors wrote in the preface, quoted on Monday, September 7, 2026.
The title itself links an individual political leader with a broad religious tradition, making the publication’s framing especially sensitive. For readers, the debate is not only about the contents of a book, but also about the process used to gather contributions and the way religious ideas are attached to public figures.
Questions Over Named Contributors
The book has also drawn attention after several people identified as contributors said they had not participated. Among those raising objections was Muhammad Abdurrahman Al Kautsar, caretaker of the Al-Falah Ploso Islamic Boarding School in Kediri, East Java. Better known as Gus Kautsar, he objected to what he described as insufficient transparency around interviews and to the wording of the title.
“I object if it turns out like this, especially with a title like that,” Gus Kautsar said on Monday, September 2026.
His objection highlights two separate concerns: whether contributors were adequately informed about how their views would be used, and whether the title appropriately personifies religious values in connection with Prabowo. Those issues emerged independently of Baznas’ explanation about funding.
Other figures who said they were not involved include Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Law Yusril Ihza Mahendra; former Minister of Education and Culture Muhadjir Effendy; and former West Nusa Tenggara Governor Tuan Guru Bajang Muhammad Zainul Majdi.
Why the Clarification Matters
Baznas’ statement centers on accountability for funds donated through its ZIS channels. By stating that no such money went toward the book’s production or publication, the agency sought to clarify the boundary between its public charitable mandate and its institutional participation in a literacy event.
The episode also illustrates how public institutions, religious organizations, authors, and prominent individuals can become connected through a single publication in ways that require careful explanation. Financial involvement, editorial involvement, attendance at an event, and consent to be represented in a book are separate matters. In this case, Baznas has said it neither financed nor produced the publication, while several named figures have challenged claims of their participation.
As discussion around Islam Ala Prabowo continues, the central points remain clear: the book was released in July 2025, Baznas says ZIS funds were not used for it, and questions have been raised by several individuals over their alleged connection to the project.
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