The Influence of Religiosity and Knowledge on the Willingness of Civil Servants at the Pangkalpinang City Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs to Pay Professional Zakat

Abstract

Zakat is a fundamental pillar of Islam that serves not only as a form of worship but also as a socio-economic instrument to reduce poverty and inequality. Despite its great potential, the collection of professional zakat in Indonesia remains suboptimal, particularly among civil servants (ASN) who have a fixed income and are directly obligated to pay zakat. This study aims to examine the influence of religiosity and knowledge on the intention of ASN at the Pangkalpinang City Ministry of Religious Affairs Office to pay professional zakat through formal institutions. Using a quantitative approach with a survey design, data were collected from 75 Muslim ASN selected through purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to measure religiosity, knowledge, and intention, and the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression with SPSS. The results indicate that religiosity and knowledge have a positive and significant influence on the intention to pay professional zakat. Civil servants with stronger religious commitment tend to consistently view zakat as a spiritual and moral obligation, while those with higher zakat literacy demonstrate a greater willingness to comply with institutional payment mechanisms. These findings underscore that religiosity provides spiritual motivation, whereas knowledge serves as a cognitive driver, and both are necessary to strengthen zakat compliance. This study suggests that zakat institutions and policymakers simultaneously enhance religious awareness and zakat education, complemented by institutional policies such as automatic payroll deductions, to optimize zakat collection and maximize its social impact.