The young Muslim generation’s embracing digital platforms for Zakat payments represents a dynamic fusion of enduring religious values with the modern digital landscape, heralding a new era in Islamic charitable practices. This trend illustrates a profound transformation within the Islamic world, where the pillars of faith are being reimagined and revitalized through the lens of technological advancement. The present study delved into the factors influencing the young Muslim generation’s preference for digital platforms in Zakat transactions across Indonesia and Malaysia. We examined variables such as Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Trust, Zakat Literacy, and Digital Infrastructure, aiming to discern their impact on the propensity for digital Zakat contributions with the extension of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. The research encompassed a diverse sample of 382 participants and utilized advanced methodologies, specifically Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and PLS Multi Group Analysis (PLS-MGA), for rigorous data analysis. The results indicated that Effort Expectancy, Social Influence, Digital Infrastructure, and Zakat Literacy notably influenced the use of digital platforms for Zakat. Furthermore, PLS-MGA uncovered significant cross-country differences where Digital Infrastructure showed a more pronounced positive impact in Malaysian context, whereas Social Influence had a greater effect in Indonesia. These findings offer critical insights into the young Muslim community’s digital engagement for religious financial obligations, underscoring the need for tailored digital Zakat solutions that cater to the unique preferences of this demographic. This research not only enriches the understanding of digital adoption in religious practices but also challenges the notion of a universal approach, advocating for context-specific strategies in the realm of digital religious financial services. Future researchers are suggested to consider longitudinal investigations as well as examining cross-regional contexts in this realm of research.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of tourist resources, conditions and opportunities of sacral tourism in Kazakhstan using panel data (time series and cross-sectional) regression analysis for a sample of 14 regions of Kazakhstan observed over the period from 2004 to 2022. The article presents an overview of modern methods of assessment of the tourist and recreational potential of sacral tourism, as used by national and foreign scientific works. The main focus is on the method of estimating the size and effectiveness of the tourist potential, which reflects the realization and volume of tourist resources and their potential. The overall results show a significant positive effect in that the strongest impact on the increase in the number of tourist residents is the proposed infrastructure and the readiness of regions to receive tourists qualitatively. This study is expected to be of value to firm managers, investors, researchers, and regulators in decision- making at different levels of government.

This paper investigates the impact of financial inclusion on financial stability in BRICS countries from 2004 to 2020. Using a panel smooth transition regression model, the results reveal a U-shaped relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability. Financial inclusion reduces financial stability up to a threshold of 44.7%. Beyond this point, financial inclusion contributes to greater financial stability, through gradual transitions. Enhanced financial inclusion supports banks in stabilizing their deposit funding by facilitating access to more stable, long-term funds and alleviating the negative impacts of fluctuations in returns. Furthermore, the study examines the role of institutional quality in shaping the financial inclusion-financial stability nexus, indicating a significant positive effect, especially in the upper regime. These findings provide valuable insights for financial regulatory authorities, highlighting the importance of promoting financial inclusion in BRICS economies and adapting regulations to mitigate potential risks to global financial stability.

Women play a pivotal role in national development, and it is essential for every country to harness their skills to promote economic growth and comprehensive development. The purpose of the current study is to analyze and evaluation the impact of the most recent legislatives and legal reforms in the Saudi Arabia laws in the women’s empowering and economic growth. In addition, the research method is used is analyzing laws, regulations, and reports documents related to women rights in Saudi Arabia to clarify its impact on the women’s empowerments and economic developments. The study’s results indicate a significant and positive impact of recent legal and legislative reforms in Saudi Arabia on women’s empowerment and economic growth. Legal reforms have expanded employment opportunities and fostered entrepreneurship among women, resulting in increased workforce participation and a rise in women-owned businesses. Social empowerment has been enhanced through greater autonomy and improved access to education and vocational training, equipping women with competitive skills. Additionally, reforms have facilitated women’s participation in governance that creating a safer and more equitable environment. These changes have contributed positively to the economic incomes and diversification that reflecting the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom to enhance women’s empowerment and ensure the sustainability of reforms to achieve the ambitious goals of the Kingdome Vision 2030.

Recovery and resilience plan (RRP) approved by the European Commission fosters the development of lifelong learning programs to upgrade employees’ skills and knowledge for digital and green transitions. Within higher education, the field of information and communication technology (ICT) is also a priority area, so we compared the demographic variables of students enrolled in formal first-cycle higher education programs in ICT with those enrolled in lifelong ICT programs within the framework of the Advanced Computer Skills project funded by the RRP in Slovenia. The results show that formal first-cycle higher education in the field of ICT remains strongly male-dominated, whereas, among participants in lifelong learning, the percentage of females stands out. Bachelor programs in ICT are primarily enrolled by young people aged up to 24 years, while shorter university-based lifelong learning programs attract mostly older participants with higher completed formal education and from a broader range of prior educational backgrounds. Finally, when all three variables (gender, age and level of prior formal education) are considered, participants in lifelong learning are much more similar to part-time students than full-time bachelor ICT students, although the percentage of men in formal education is still predominant even in part-time studies. The research findings highlight the need for further efforts to offer lifelong learning in ICT to enable individuals to improve their employment prospects, progress in the workplace or even change their field of work.