Volume 19 Issue 2, August 2024
ARTICLE INFO
Article History:
Received: 10 June 2024
Accepted: 01 July 2024
Published: 01 August 2024
Takaful Surplus Management and Allocation for Various Sustainable Modes: Shari`Ah and Regulatory Requirements
Md. Habibur Rahman♣, Md. Faruk Abdullah, Hartini Binti Ab Ghani and Salman Bin Lambak
Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA),
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
The surplus refers to the balance remaining in the takaful fund after paying all claims and other obligations. This study aims to explore surplus management and allocation in various sustainable scopes and discuss relevant Shari`ah and regulatory requirements. Data is collected primarily through qualitative interviews with market leaders comprising Shari`ah and operational experts in takaful. A thematic analysis is carried out to explore qualitative data. The study finds that sharing with participants and operators, managing deficits of takaful funds, supporting takaful funds of other operators, financial assistance to micro-takaful, donating in waqf and other charity works, etc., are some notable scopes for surplus allocation. It identifies some critical Shari`ah and regulatory requirements for surplus utilization, including consent of the participants, fairness and effective communication with them, viability and solvency of takaful funds, and overseeing surplus sharing practices. The study concludes that utilizing surplus in various sustainable modes promotes equitable wealth distribution, financial inclusion, and social well-being and helps to realize Maqasid al-Shari`ah. It posits a regulatory update to facilitate surplus allocation for various charitable scopes as the current regulation restricts it between participants and operators.
Keywords: Takaful, Surplus, Management, Sustainable Development, Islamic Finance.