Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective

The purpose of this article is to discuss the views and opinions of contemporary Muslim scholars on organisational accountability in Islam. The paper is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews and a review of the relevant documents. Eighteen interviews with twelve Muslim scholars, two ulamas...

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Main Authors: Basri, Hasan, A. K., Siti Nabiha, Abd. Majid, M. Shabri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitas Gadjah Mada 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/38238/
http://eprints.usm.my/38238/1/Accounting_and_Accountability_in_Religious_Organizations.pdf
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author Basri, Hasan
A. K., Siti Nabiha
Abd. Majid, M. Shabri
author_facet Basri, Hasan
A. K., Siti Nabiha
Abd. Majid, M. Shabri
author_sort Basri, Hasan
building USM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The purpose of this article is to discuss the views and opinions of contemporary Muslim scholars on organisational accountability in Islam. The paper is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews and a review of the relevant documents. Eighteen interviews with twelve Muslim scholars, two ulamas (mufti), two organisational donors, and two relevant government officers, both in Indonesia and in Malaysia were, respectively, conducted. The Muslim scholars interviewed perceived that accounting and accountability activities are not contradictory to Islamic teachings. The accountability relationship in Islam is viewed as not only fulfilling the legal requirements, but also fulfilling the relationship with God. The findings clearly indicate that a formal accountability mechanism is strongly encouraged in Islam, and financial reporting is viewed as essential in enhancing the accountability of Islamic religious organizations. Therefore, any organization dealing with community funds must demonstrate its financial accountability formally; i.e., through written reports. Thus, public or community trust in the organisation cannot replace the accountability mechanism.
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spelling usm-382382018-01-04T09:31:12Z http://eprints.usm.my/38238/ Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective Basri, Hasan A. K., Siti Nabiha Abd. Majid, M. Shabri HF5001-6182 Business The purpose of this article is to discuss the views and opinions of contemporary Muslim scholars on organisational accountability in Islam. The paper is based on in-depth semi-structured interviews and a review of the relevant documents. Eighteen interviews with twelve Muslim scholars, two ulamas (mufti), two organisational donors, and two relevant government officers, both in Indonesia and in Malaysia were, respectively, conducted. The Muslim scholars interviewed perceived that accounting and accountability activities are not contradictory to Islamic teachings. The accountability relationship in Islam is viewed as not only fulfilling the legal requirements, but also fulfilling the relationship with God. The findings clearly indicate that a formal accountability mechanism is strongly encouraged in Islam, and financial reporting is viewed as essential in enhancing the accountability of Islamic religious organizations. Therefore, any organization dealing with community funds must demonstrate its financial accountability formally; i.e., through written reports. Thus, public or community trust in the organisation cannot replace the accountability mechanism. Universitas Gadjah Mada 2016 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.usm.my/38238/1/Accounting_and_Accountability_in_Religious_Organizations.pdf Basri, Hasan and A. K., Siti Nabiha and Abd. Majid, M. Shabri (2016) Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective. Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business, 18 (2). pp. 207-230. ISSN 1411-1128 https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/gamaijb/article/view/12574
spellingShingle HF5001-6182 Business
Basri, Hasan
A. K., Siti Nabiha
Abd. Majid, M. Shabri
Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title_full Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title_fullStr Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title_short Accounting and Accountability in Religious Organizations: An Islamic Contemporary Scholars’ Perspective
title_sort accounting and accountability in religious organizations: an islamic contemporary scholars’ perspective
topic HF5001-6182 Business
url http://eprints.usm.my/38238/
http://eprints.usm.my/38238/
http://eprints.usm.my/38238/1/Accounting_and_Accountability_in_Religious_Organizations.pdf