Tahfiz Preneurship Governance Framework, Products, and Effective Marketing Strategies in Malaysia

Abstract

Tahfizpreneurship is a term that encompasses both tahfiz and entrepreneurship with the goal of enabling private Tahfiz institutions (PTIs) in Malaysia to generate sustainable income for their survival and existence. The insufficiency of government aid, donations, and fees to fully cover the operational and governance expenses of PTIs contributes to the unfavourable societal impression of these institutions, which are often stigmatised as welfare and charity centres. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the closure of numerous PTIs as a consequence of financial obligations and limits. Hence, the aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive Tahfizpreneurship Governance Framework and ascertain the range of products and successful marketing strategies employed by Private Tahfiz Institutions (PTIs) in Malaysia. The study's findings revealed the existence of seven distinct elements that comprise the Tahfizpreneurship Governance Framework. These elements include (i) PTIs Product, (ii) Financial, (iii) Economy, (iv) Education, (v) Integration, (vi) Strategies, and (vii) Challenges. These elements are further categorised into two main components, namely Tahfiz Education and Entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the range of products offered by tahfizpreneurship encompasses several sectors, such as livestock, aquaculture, agriculture, food, frozen items, and kitchen necessities. Additionally, tahfizpreneurship also provides services related to korban and aqikah, homestays, hajj and umrah, tourism agencies, and takaful insurance. These items are promoted through both traditional and digital marketing strategies, with a special emphasis on prominent social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Additionally, the Yezza and EQ2U applications are used for marketing purposes. The efficacy of tahfizpreneurship has been demonstrated in its ability to offset up to 50% of the operational and governance expenses of PTIs. This achievement has enhanced the confidence of the community in the PTIs' capacity to produce independent revenue and effectively compete on both national and global scales. Nevertheless, the existence of distinct digital marketing platforms utilised by PTIs poses challenges in obtaining tahfizpreneurship products. Consequently, it is recommended that these various digital marketing platforms be consolidated into a unified entity known as a One Stop Centre (OSC), exemplified by platforms like Shopee and Lazada. This endeavour is anticipated to enhance the survival rate of PTIs in Malaysia and effectively contribute to the realisation of the National Tahfiz Education Policy’s (NTEP) objective of producing 125,000 huffaz by 2050.