Islamic Zakat Saving Experience for Bank Syariah Indonesia

Background

Zakat, an Islamic obligation, requires eligible Muslims to donate 2.5% of their wealth annually to those in need. In Indonesia, where the potential zakat collection is estimated at US$21 billion per year, actual contributions fall short, due to last minute payments, informal distribution, and confusion around nisab (the minimum amount of wealth required for a person to be eligible to pay zakat) calculations that fluctuate with gold prices.

With digital banking on the rise, fintech innovations have made zakat payments easier and more transparent, leading to a 70% surge in online donations. But most platforms focus on one time payments rather than helping users save gradually throughout the year.

Zakat Saving fills this gap by offering a dedicated savings account with auto debit contributions, automated nisab checks, and seamless transfers to verified zakat institutions.

Project Summary

Zakat Saving is a dedicated savings feature within the BYOND mobile app, designed to help users systematically set aside funds for their annual zakat. With a specialized zakat account, customers can automate monthly contributions and receive a final nisab check at the end of the year to determine their zakat obligation. The goal is to integrate islamic obligations with modern digital banking and provides a smooth and effortless way to save for zakat.

Design Framework

The Challenge

1. Provide monthly autodebit for systematic savings.
2. Automate nisab checks to determine zakat eligibility at year’s end.
3. Integrate direct payment to a zakat partner if eligible, or provide flexible infaq/sedekah or withdrawal options if not.

Research & Insights

We conducted user interviews and surveys targeting existing BSI customers who actively perform zakat or have expressed interest in a dedicated zakat tool:

Research Methods:

1. User Interviews: 10 persons in depth interviews with different demographic groups, from young professionals to small business owners.
2. Surveys: 400 responses indicated users confusion about annual zakat calculations and frustration with manual transfers.

Key Insights & Findings

Through our research, we identified several critical pain points that guided our approach:

By bringing these insights into the design, Zakat Savings was built to match what Indonesian users really value, something that’s easy to use, while still honoring their religious responsibilities.

User Flow

We identified two major pain points: users struggle with setting aside funds for zakat consistently and many are unsure if they meet the nisab requirement.

To address these, we focused on automating savings contributions and simplifying the eligibility check. These discussions led to define the core user flows:

Zakat Savings Account Opening Flow

Zakat Payment Flow

Design & Solutions

1. Sharia Based Zakat Savings Account Opening

2. Nisab Eligibility Met, But Zakat Savings Below Required Amount

3. Nisab Not Eligible

If user selects "cairkan dana," the amount will be automatically transferred to the source account

If user selects "sedekahkan dana" the amount will be automatically donated to the chosen zakat institution.

4. Top Up via Zakat Dashboard

Business Impact & Results

My Takeaways

Many users were unsure about nisab calculations, so we added clear prompts and explanations to build confidence. Since gold prices and Baznas guidelines change, we enabled seamless parameter updates to keep calculations accurate. Users also wanted real time balance tracking and clear summaries, reducing confusion and support inquiries.

By prioritizing user research, iterative prototyping, and close collaboration with sharia compliance teams. Tabungan Zakat makes it easier to save and give zakat with confidence. Early feedback shows that users love the simplicity, understand their obligations better, and are actively using the feature.

1. Auto Rollover: Allows users to seamlessly continue their zakat savings yearly.
2. Personalized Reminders: Helps users stay on track with automated reminders.
3. Advanced Analytics & Budgeting Tools: Allows users to monitor their savings and contribute wisely.
4. Integrations with Other Sharia Products: Align Tabungan Zakat with other existing BSI offerings (Hajj Savings or Qurban Savings), allowing cross feature synergy.

Thank You For Reading My Case Study 😊

Skola (Learning Management System)