SULTAN Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has warned against the misuse of funds collected from Muslims by unauthorised individuals, companies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), saying some have diverted the money for personal gain.
The Sultan said various parties were collecting and managing Muslim contributions, including donations, infak and fidyah payments, despite not being appointed by the relevant religious authorities in the state.
He expressed disappointment over cases involving the misappropriation of public contributions, describing such conduct as shameful and detrimental to the Muslim community.
“Some of these parties have been involved in misappropriating the funds they collect and using the money for personal gain. This is deeply embarrassing and causes great losses to the Muslim community,” he said.
Sultan Sharafuddin stressed that state Islamic religious councils were the authorised bodies and sole trustees of Baitulmal in their respective states, as stipulated under the Islamic Administration Enactments.
He said this arrangement was also consistent with the Federal Constitution and the respective state constitutions.
Speaking at the 2026 Nusantara Baitulmal Convention here today, he said the management of Muslim wealth was a matter of trust that must be placed in the hands of institutions with the necessary authority and expertise.
He urged Muslims to ensure their contributions were channelled through MAIS, other state Islamic religious councils or parties holding valid approval from the relevant authorities.
At the same time, he reminded the councils, particularly MAIS, of their responsibility to ensure Baitulmal assets were managed transparently, efficiently and professionally, in accordance with Islamic principles and the law.
He said good governance was essential to ensuring Muslim funds were properly managed, distributed and developed for the benefit of the community.
“Baitulmal must maintain the highest standards of governance. Muslim funds must be managed, distributed, developed and utilised in ways that protect the welfare and interests of the Muslim community,” he said.
The Sultan also called on Baitulmal to move beyond its traditional role of collecting and safeguarding wealth, saying it should play a more active part in building the economic strength of Muslims.
He said strategic partnerships with Islamic banking and financial institutions, as well as Islamic wealth management companies, should be strengthened to increase the value of Baitulmal assets.
Such partnerships would enable MAIS and other state Islamic religious councils to develop high-impact commercial assets capable of generating returns for the benefit of the Muslim community, he added.
Sultan Sharafuddin said support from state and federal governments was also crucial to advancing efforts to strengthen Baitulmal.
He further called for reforms to laws governing Islamic wealth management, particularly Islamic inheritance laws, to be expedited to resolve overlapping jurisdictions between the civil and Syariah courts.
He said addressing the issue of frozen Muslim inheritance assets would allow the wealth to be released and channelled back into the Muslim economy.
Earlier, Selangor Crown Prince Tengku Amir Shah officiated the convention in the presence of Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, MAIS chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin and Baitulmal delegates from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. – November 10, 2026
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