Early Zakat Payment and its Role in Solving Contemporary Economic Problems: A Jurisprudential Study 10.35781/1637-000-149-004

Abstract

Abstract The research project, "Early Zakat Payment and Its Role in Solving Contemporary Economic Problems: A Jurisprudential Study," aims to address the issue of early zakat payment through a foundational jurisprudential analysis, coupled with an explanation of its practical impact on addressing contemporary economic problems such as unemployment, hoarding, and the imbalance in income and wealth distribution. \This involves clarifying the concept of early zakat payment, explaining its jurisprudential ruling, reviewing the opinions of the various schools of thought and their supporting evidence, and prioritizing the view that considers the needs of the poor and current economic circumstances. The study concludes that early zakat payment is permissible after acquiring the minimum threshold (nisab) and before the completion of a lunar year, subject to certain established guidelines The research highlights that zakat represents the first. comprehensive legislative system for social security in history, and that early payment amplifies its developmental impact, accelerates the circulation of money, reduces hoarding, and achieves equitable distribution among different segments of society. The researcher also established—based on texts from the Quran, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus—the legitimacy of the mandatory implementation of expedited zakat by the ruler, outlining its mechanisms and regulating its institutional means. I concluded that expedited zakat is a flexible jurisprudential tool capable—when properly implemented—of significantly contributing to addressing contemporary economic crises. However, I also highlighted a number of legal, administrative, and cultural obstacles that hinder its application, necessitating comprehensive legislative and institutional reform. Keywords: Expediting Zakat - Solving Economic Problems - Contemporary Studies - Jurisprudential Study.