On Thursday, December 4, 2025, an Academic Hearing Forum on the Draft Revision of Law No. 41 of 2004 on Waqf was held at the Kesultanan 1 Ballroom, Hotel Royal Ambarrukmo, Yogyakarta. The forum was organized by the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance, Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) of UIN Sunan Kalijaga and the Department of Islamic Economics and Finance of Bank Indonesia.

The event commenced with an opening address by Jaja Zarkasyi, S.Th.I., Head of the Sub-Directorate for Supervision and Safeguarding of Waqf Assets, Ministry of Religious Affairs, who stated that the forum constituted an important part of the legislative process for revising Law No. 41 of 2004, with particular emphasis on strengthening regulations on cash waqf and improving national waqf governance. This was followed by remarks from Waryono Abdul Ghafur, Director of Zakat and Waqf Empowerment, Ministry of Religious Affairs, who highlighted the need to align waqf regulations with the dynamics of modern waqf development, including the strengthening of foundational principles, institutional structures, and waqf instruments.

The Rector of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Noorhaidi Hasan, Ph.D., expressed appreciation for the inter-institutional collaboration reflected in the forum and emphasized the potential of waqf as a sustainable financing (endowment) instrument. Meanwhile, Yono Haryono, Ph.D., from the Department of Islamic Economics and Finance, Bank Indonesia, outlined the direction of Indonesia’s Waqf System development as an Islamic social finance instrument supporting the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045.

The academic hearing forum was structured into two sessions. The first session, titled “Reformulation of Norms and Models for Waqf Empowerment,” featured presentations by Muhibuddin, S.Fil.I., M.E., Head of the Sub-Directorate for Institutional Development of Zakat and Waqf, Ministry of Religious Affairs, who discussed challenges related to strengthening waqf principles, optimizing cash waqf, digitalizing waqf pledges, and reinforcing the functions of waqf institutions. Gusnam Haris, S.Ag., M.Ag., an academic from UIN Sunan Kalijaga, emphasized the importance of clarifying waqf registration mechanisms, nadzir certification, flexibility for online waqf pledges, and strengthening the role of the Indonesian Waqf Board (BWI) as a policy standard-setting body. Additionally, Mukhlis Rahmanto, Lc., M.A., Ph.D., from Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, critically examined several provisions in the draft revision, including nadzir remuneration proportions, classification of waqf assets, and the need to regulate family waqf and corporate waqf. Key issues discussed included the regulation of temporary and perpetual waqf, digital reporting and monitoring systems, the scope of multi-religious waqf objects, and the urgency of revising the LPS abbreviation.

The second session, focusing on “The National Waqf Ecosystem as a Pillar of Social Financing,” featured Roy Renwarin, CWP, CWS, from the Indonesian Waqf Education Foundation, who presented an evaluation of provisions in the draft Waqf Bill and stressed the urgency of transparency and strengthened governance of cash waqf within Islamic financial institutions. This was followed by Moh. Mufid, Ph.D., Coordinator of the Research and Publication Center, LPPM UIN Sunan Kalijaga, who highlighted the importance of risk management, financial reporting transparency, and the simplification of terminology to enhance public understanding. Discussion topics included the authority of BWI and potential overlaps with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, strategies for improving waqf literacy and public outreach, strengthening the role of communities, pesantren, and mass organizations, as well as the development of waqf intifa’.

In addition to stakeholders from various sectors, the forum was attended by ten representatives of students from the Master’s Program in Islamic Economics, namely Alfia Azzuhra, Sakinah Mardiyatillah, Susilawati, Wahyu Hardi Santika, Suci Wulan Sari, Fauzia Kamila, Aisyah Futri Utami Daulay, Lathifatul Mufidah, Taufikur Rohman, and Abdurohman. Their participation represented an academic contribution to the ongoing process of refining national waqf regulations.

Overall, the Academic Hearing Forum was conducted in an orderly and constructive manner and generated a range of strategic inputs to be utilized in finalizing the Draft Revision of Law No. 41 of 2004 on Waqf.