Application of the Gradient Boosting Algorithm for Classification of Zakat Recipient Groups in Supporting the Digital Transformation of Zakat Management

Authors

  • Muhammad Aditya Hafizh Zahran Department of Informatics, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia Author
  • Luthfi Afiyah Department of Informatics, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung Bandung, Indonesia Author
  • Kania Sailanul Anjani Department of Informatics, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung Bandung, Indonesia Author
  • Michael Michael Department of Informatics, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung Bandung, Indonesia Author
  • Radithya Dwi Santoso Department of Informatics, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung Bandung, Indonesia Author

Keywords:

zakat, mustahik, asnaf, gradient boosting, machine learning, classification, socio-economic data, digital transformation

Abstract

Background: Accurate distribution of zakat is one of the main challenges in modern zakat management. The manual process of identifying and classifying zakat recipients (mustahik) has the potential to lead to inaccuracy, subjectivity, and inefficiency. In the context of digital transformation, a machine learning-based approach can be a solution to support a more objective and efficient classification process.

Purpose: This study aims to develop a classification model for zakat recipients based on eight categories of asnaf (obligatory zakat) using the Gradient Boosting algorithm and compare its performance with the Decision Tree and K-Nearest Neighbor algorithms.

Methods: This study uses a quantitative approach using socio-economic data obtained from the Kaggle platform. The variables used include demographic, economic, and social aspects. The research stages include data pre-processing, dividing training and test data, model training, and parameter optimization to improve classification performance. Model evaluation is conducted using accuracy as the main indicator, accompanied by an analysis of the features that most influence the classification results.

Results: The research results show that the Gradient Boosting algorithm achieved an accuracy of 81.5% and performed better than Decision Tree and K-Nearest Neighbor. Furthermore, monthly income and employment were identified as the most influential features in determining the classification of zakat recipients.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the application of machine learning, specifically Gradient Boosting, has significant potential to improve the accuracy of mustahik classification. This approach can support the digital transformation of zakat management to be more objective, efficient, and data-driven.

Research Contribution: This research contributes to the development of digital innovation in zakat management through the application of machine learning-based classification methods. Practically, the research results can serve as a reference for zakat management institutions in improving the quality of zakat fund distribution to ensure more targeted and accountable distribution.

References

Abdul Samad, N. H., et al. (2023). Predicting the intention to adopt e-zakat payment services: A machine learning approach. Bulletin of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, 14(3), 8512. https://doi.org/10.11591/eei.v14i3.8512

Akbarizan, Abdullah, S. N. H. S., Kurniawan, R., Murhayati, S., Nazri, M. Z. A., & Nurcahaya. (2018). Using Bayesian network for determining the recipient of zakat in BAZNAS Pekanbaru. In 2018 2nd International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Informatics (ICon EEI 2018). IEEE.

Amelia, N., & Aprianti, W. (2023). The comparison of Decision Tree and K-Nearest Neighbor performance for determining mustahik. Brilliance: Research of Artificial Intelligence, 3(2), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.47709/brilliance.v3i2.2953

Anugrah, M. R., & Parmana, R. R. (2025). Determining zakat recipients using Simple Multi Attribute Rating Technique with Analytic Hierarchy Process eigen preference. International Journal of Applied Technology and Information Systems (IJATIS), 2(1). https://doi.org/10.57152/ijatis.v2i1.1771

Arbi, D. S., Satyadharma, J. F., & Hidayat, I. (2024). The impact distribution of zakat in alleviating poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Iqtishad: Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi Syariah.

Aziz, A. A., Mohamad Nor, N. A., Shahidan, W., Muhamad, S., Pazil, N., Masuhur, M. Y., & Masuhur, A. M. (2023). New zakat distribution model using supervised machine learning model: A case study in UiTM Cawangan Perlis. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Management Practices, 6(2), 87–95. https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEMP.621008

Bentéjac, C., Csörgő, A., & Martínez-Muñoz, G. (2020). A comparative analysis of gradient boosting algorithms. Artificial Intelligence Review, 54, 1937–1967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-020-09896-5

Chawla, N. V., Bowyer, K. W., Hall, L. O., & Kegelmeyer, W. P. (2002). SMOTE: Synthetic minority over-sampling technique. Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 16, 321–357.

Chen, T., & Guestrin, C. (2016). XGBoost: A scalable tree boosting system. In Proceedings of the 22nd ACM SIGKDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (pp. 785–794). https://doi.org/10.1145/2939672.2939785

Choiriyah, E. A. N., Kafi, A., Hikmah, I. F., & Indrawan, I. W. (2020). Zakat and poverty alleviation in Indonesia: A panel analysis at provincial level. Journal of Islamic Monetary Economics and Finance, 6(4), 811–832. https://doi.org/10.21098/jimf.v6i4.1122

Friedman, J. H. (2001). Greedy function approximation: A gradient boosting machine. Annals of Statistics, 29(5), 1189–1232.

Gonzales Martínez, R., & Cooray, M. (2025). Enhancing poverty targeting with spatial machine learning: An application to Indonesia. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2503.04300

Harahap, M. G., Siregar, M. F., & Siregar, F. H. (2024). The role of Islamic social finance in reducing poverty: A quantitative study on zakat and waqf. International Journal of Islamic Economics and Business, 1(1), 1–5.

Herianingrum, S., Supriani, I., Sukmana, R., Effendie, E., Widiastuti, T., Fauzi, Q., & Shofawati, A. (2024). Zakat as an instrument of poverty reduction in Indonesia. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 15(4), 643–660. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-11-2021-0307

Hudaefi, F. A., Caraka, R. E., & Wahid, H. (2022a). Zakat administration in times of COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: A knowledge discovery via text mining. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 15(2), 271–286.

Hudaefi, F. A., Hassan, M. O., Abduh, M., & Beik, I. S. (2022b). Knowledge discovery of zakat administration worldwide from YouTube and Zoom via text mining. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 14(1), 159–180. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-03-2022-0067

Kahfi, A., & Zen, M. (2024). Synergy of zakat and waqf in realizing contemporary sharia economic welfare: Analysis of fiqh muamalah. Al-Afkar: Journal for Islamic Studies, 7(4), 631–649. https://doi.org/10.31943/afkarjournal.v7i4.1676

Khulataini, L. (2025). Analysis of accountability and transparency of digital zakat management in amil zakat institutions: A sharia accounting perspective. Ekonomipedia: Jurnal Ekonomi Manajemen dan Bisnis, 3(1), 121–135. https://doi.org/10.55043/ekonomipedia.v3i1.296

Maulana, L. F., Ramadhan, F., & Maulida, S. (2023). Pengaruh sosialisasi dan aplikasi digital terhadap kepatuhan membayar zakat di perkotaan. Al-Amwal: Jurnal Ekonomi dan Perbankan Syariah, 15(2), 133–145. https://doi.org/10.24235/amwal.v15i2.1436

Pratama, R. D., & Nasution, I. I. (2021). Penerapan algoritma gradient boosting untuk klasifikasi kelulusan mahasiswa. Jurnal Gaussian, 10(4), 617–623. https://doi.org/10.14710/j.gauss.10.4.617-623

Putri, A., Wijayanti, R., & Nugroho, R. (2023). Penerapan machine learning dalam klasifikasi kelayakan penerima bantuan sosial. Jurnal Informatika dan Sistem Informasi, 10(2), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.31294/jisi.v10i2.24321

Qur’an. (n.d.). Surah At-Taubah (9:60).

Redjeki, S., & Widyarto, S. (2022). Sentiment analysis to identify public opinion for zakat implementation in Indonesia using machine learning algorithms. Selangor Science & Technology Review, 6(1), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.37706/ijaz.v3i1.66

Salvador, E. L. (2024). Use of boosting algorithms in household-level poverty measurement: A machine learning approach to predict and classify household wealth quintiles in the Philippines. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2407.13061

Sari, Y., et al. (2023). Zakat classification with Naïve Bayes method in BAZNAS. Techno: Jurnal Penelitian, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.33387/tjp.v10i1.2750

Setiawan, F., & Lubis, A. I. (2022). Sistem pakar dalam penentuan mustahiq zakat menggunakan Dempster Shafer. BITS, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.47065/bits.v4i2.2240

Timur, Y. P., et al. (2023). Public perception of amil zakat institutions in Indonesia: Insight discovery from machine learning. Jurnal Ekonomi Bisnis Islam, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.20473/jebis.v9i2.45416

Yusoff, W., Aziz, A. A., & Kamil, S. N. M. (2023). Modern approach of zakat as an economic and social instrument in the digital age. International Journal of Islamic Economics and Finance Studies (IIECONS), 10(1), 91–105. https://doi.org/10.33102/iiecons.v10i1.109

Downloads

Published

2026-04-05

Issue

Section

Articles