Female Leadership of Islamic Philanthropic Institutions in Indonesia

This study aims to examine the experiences of female leaders in Islamic philanthropy in managing zakat in Indonesia from the perspective of Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah and gender justice. Through the phenomenological method, this study aims to analyze the description of women's involvement as important actors in the structure of Islamic philanthropic institutions in Indonesia, their bureaucratic systems, and the obstacles they face. By focusing on data on the Zakat Management Organization (Organisasi Pengelola Zakat), which includes The National Amil Zakat Agency (Badan Amil Zakat Nasional/BAZNAS) and Privtae Amil Zakat Institution (Lembaga Amil Zakat/LAZ), it becomes clear that women's involvement in the governance of Islamic philanthropy in Indonesia remains very low. Even though there are no limiting regulations, women's participation in the structure is still hampered by several things, such as the conservative religious views of leaders, patriarchal-misogynistic culture in the workplace, limited human resources with the required qualifications, and limited awareness among women regarding participation to social work. Enforcing the principles of organizational professionalism, adhering to the applicable merit and bureaucratic systems, and educating on the importance of gender awareness in the work environment must also be accompanied by efforts to improve the quality of human resources, so that Islamic philanthropic work can provide fair benefits for both men and women.