Sarcouncil Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies

Abstract: The increasing mobility of Indonesian migrant communities to Malaysia has contributed significantly to household and regional economies through remittances. However, these economic gains are not always accompanied by adequate Islamic financial literacy, particularly in zakat awareness and Sharia-based household financial management. This study aims to examine the implementation and outcomes of a Community Engagement Program focusing on zakat education and Islamic financial management for Indonesian migrant communities in Malaysia. The program employed a participatory and educational approach and was conducted through international collaboration between the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business (FEBI), IAIN Kerinci, and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) over a three-year period (2022–2024). The stages included planning and partnership initiation, observation and needs assessment, technical preparation, program implementation, and evaluation. The activities were carried out within the Masyarakat Bharu Pulau Tengah Malaysia (MBPM) community and involved 43 participants from diverse household backgrounds. The findings indicate that the program successfully enhanced participants’ understanding of zakat concepts, Islamic financial management, and the integration of zakat into household financial planning. The participatory learning approach fostered positive changes in financial attitudes and awareness, aligning financial practices with the principles of maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. This study concludes that internationally collaborative and needs-based community engagement programs play a strategic role in strengthening Islamic financial literacy and improving the socio-economic well-being of migrant communities.