FROM BLOCKCHAIN TO BARAKAH: DESIGNING SHARIAH-COMPLIANT ZAKAT AND WAQF PLATFORMS IN THE AI ECONOMY
Abstract
The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies has reshaped financial ecosystems, offering new opportunities to enhance transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in Islamic social finance. This study, entitled “From Blockchain to Barakah: Designing Shariah-Compliant Zakat and Waqf Platforms in the AI Economy,” aims to develop and empirically validate a conceptual model for the adoption of blockchain-based zakat and waqf platforms integrated with AI-driven features. The research applies a quantitative-explanatory approach using Smart PLS (Partial Least Squares) to analyze the relationships among key latent constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived trust, Shariah compliance, technology readiness, and user intention. Data were collected from 350 respondents comprising zakat and waqf practitioners, Islamic fintech developers, and Muslim donors across Indonesia. The findings indicate that Shariah compliance and perceived trust significantly influence adoption intention, while AI-driven transparency mediates the relationship between blockchain utility and perceived barakah (spiritual benefit). The structural model demonstrates a high level of predictive relevance (Q² = 0.62) and composite reliability (> 0.85). This study contributes both theoretically and practically: theoretically by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) into an Islamic Barakah-Oriented Adoption Framework, and practically by providing design implications for AI-based, Shariah-compliant financial ecosystems that operationalize ethical, transparent, and sustainable zakat–waqf management.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Fitiani Fitriani, Harjoni Desky, Ahmad Firman, Waliyara Waliyara
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