Virtual Booth

Digital transformation has become increasingly critical in strengthening the governance of Islamic social finance institutions, particularly within higher education settings following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing need for institutional resilience against emerging disasters. This study examines the implementation and institutional effectiveness of EZ-ZAWAF, a digital transformation framework developed for the management of zakat, sadaqah, waqf at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Employing a qualitative case study approach through institutional document analysis, system implementation review and outcome-based evaluation, the study analyses the transformation process across two implementation phases: the initial adaptation toward a hybrid digital management system and the subsequent full-scale digital integration with system enhancement and governance consolidation. The findings indicate that EZ-ZAWAF has enhanced operational efficiency, stakeholder accessibility, transparency and administrative responsiveness in the collection and distribution of Islamic social finance instruments. More significantly, the integration of disaster waqf as an additional strategic component strengthens universities’ financial preparedness and institutional capacity to mobilise rapid humanitarian response during emergencies, while enabling sustainable resource accumulation for disaster mitigation, recovery, and welfare support among affected academic communities. The framework demonstrates strong alignment with the principles of Maqasid Shariah, particularly in the preservation of wealth, life, and public welfare, while concurrently supporting relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty alleviation, quality education, resilient institutions and sustainable communities. This study contributes a scalable and replicable institutional framework for the digitalisation of Islamic social finance management and disaster-responsive waqf governance in Malaysian public universities, offering strategic policy insights for wider adoption by higher education institutions and State Islamic Religious Councils (SIRCs) across Malaysia.