News Detail

Jakarta – BRIN Public Relations. National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has identified a digital literacy gap among congregants in the implementation of donations via the Indonesian Standard Quick Response Code (QRIS) at three major mosques.

The findings are the result of a study conducted by BRIN's Center for Religion and Belief Research (PRAK) Junior Researcher Haris Maiza Putra and his team at three grand mosques, namely Al-Jabbar Grand Mosque in Bandung, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Solo, and Hubbul Wathan Grand Mosque in Lombok. 

This research examined the implementation of a cashless donation system in these three grand mosques, which have provided QRIS facilities as an alternative payment method for donations and alms. 

Haris explained that this research was prompted by the increasingly widespread use of QRIS, including in places of worship, since 2023–2024. He saw the importance of examining how religious practices adapt to developments in financial technology.

According to him, when the research proposal was drafted at the end of December 2024, studies on the use of QRIS in mosques were still very limited. The topic was often considered commonplace because QRIS had been used in various commercial sectors. However, for Haris, the adoption of QRIS in places of worship has different social and religious dimensions. 

“The focus of this research is how places of worship respond to and adopt the latest technology,” he said, when interviewed on Friday (20/2).

The three mosques studied were selected based on specific considerations. All three are provincial-level grand mosques as well as popular religious tourist destinations.

Al-Jabbar Grand Mosque is known for its modern architectural design and has become one of the new icons in West Java. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Solo has a distinctive character because it was a gift from the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Hubbul Wathan Grand Mosque in Lombok features strong local architectural elements.

The differences in funding and design backgrounds were among the aspects observed in the study. Despite their different characteristics, all three mosques serve as places of worship and religious tourist destinations.

Conventional donations still dominate

The research results show that QRIS has indeed been implemented in all three mosques. QR codes are placed in strategic locations such as entrances, areas before the ablution facilities, and even on donation boxes.

However, conventional donation methods through physical donation boxes still dominate. In Lombok, for example, the proportion of digital donations via QRIS is recorded at around 20 percent, while 80 percent are still made through conventional methods. “There has been a transformation, but it is not yet widespread,” said Haris.

He added that this figure is also dynamic because the number of mosque visitors can increase significantly at certain times, such as school holidays, holidays, or when there are major tourist events such as MotoGP in Mandalika.

Digital literacy gap

One of the main findings of this research is the digital literacy gap among congregations. Not all mosque visitors are accustomed to using QRIS or digital banking services.

According to Haris, even though the research was conducted in urban areas, there are still certain age groups that are not familiar with digital payments. In fact, the use of mobile banking is not yet fully widespread.

This condition shows that digital transformation in places of worship is not only a matter of providing infrastructure, but also the readiness of human resources.

The Director of Programs and Partnerships at the Indonesian Sharia Fintech Association (AFSI), Handika Surbakti, who was also involved in the research, assessed that from a system perspective, support for the implementation of QRIS is adequate.

He said that Bank Indonesia and sharia financial platforms have provided infrastructure that enables mosques to adopt QRIS technology.

According to Handika, digitization can improve the quality of religious services, especially in mosques that are also tourist destinations. “Visitors who do not carry cash can still give alms easily,” he said.

Head of PRAK BRIN, Aji Sofanudin, who was also part of the research team, appreciated the research conducted by Rumah Program, which was funded by the BRIN Research Organization for Social Sciences and Humanities (OR IPSH). “The collaboration between PRAK BRIN researchers, academics, and practitioners demonstrates serious cross-sector collaboration in understanding contemporary dynamics in places of worship, namely QRIS,” said Aji.

The results of this research were published in the international journal Journal of Islamic Architecture in December 2025, funded by Rumah Program, Contemporary Dynamics - OR IPSH BRIN 2025. The research involved a team from PRAK BRIN, the BRIN Research Center for Macroeconomics and Finance, AFSI, and the Miftahul Huda Al Azhar Banjar Institute. “So, this research involved academics, researchers, and practitioners at the same time,” added Haris.

He and his team plan to continue this research through the Research and Innovation for Advanced Indonesia (RIIM) scheme starting in 2026. The follow-up proposal is designed to last for three years with a wider coverage area, including Western, Central, and Eastern Indonesia.

With this expansion, he hopes to map the adoption of QRIS not only in urban mosques but also in other areas with different characteristics.

Haris emphasized that digital transformation in places of worship is a gradual process. “In addition to technological support, improving the digital literacy of congregations is key to ensuring that QRIS utilization can run more optimally,” he said. (tnt)