“What is done and what is left to be done?” An investigation of YouTube as knowledge resource for Islamic endowment funds (cash waqf) in Indonesia

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed at exploring to what extent social media has educated and shaped public opinion regarding cash waqf. This research comprehensively analyzed the social media content to find the most discussed topic and highlighted the trends in cash waqf literacy. Design/methodology/approach Twenty-nine videos discussing cash waqf in Indonesia from the YouTube platform were analyzed using NVivo R1 with a content analysis approach. Findings The research findings revealed that YouTube videos addressing cash waqf were categorized into four distinct clusters: government, ulama/influencers/professionals, nadzir (waqf manager) and TV stations, with the government cluster producing a higher number of videos (n = 11) than the other clusters. The findings also highlighted the limited involvement of nadzir in educating the public about cash waqf, as evidenced by a smaller number of videos (n = 5). Among these videos, the most frequently discussed topics included the utilization of cash waqf (n = 20), promotion of cash waqf (n = 14) and risk management (n = 13). Negative sentiment (n = 262) was observed to exceed positive sentiment (n = 107). Practical implications The findings of this study contribute to the fundraising aspect of cash waqf because the inclusivity of digital content in cash waqf campaigns is crucial to raise awareness of the public. In addition, these findings may help waqf managers (nadzir) assess the extent of educational content about cash waqf on YouTube and the public’s response to this content. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to analyze the social media content, particularly from YouTube platforms, and public sentiment against cash waqf.