Waqf according to Muslim tradition signifies “imprisonment of bequeathed wealth.” It consists of making an endowment of property or rendering it inalienable for the benefit of a religious foundation or the common good; the structures concerned will assume the responsibility of managing the endowment and distributing the income or usufruct amongst the needy. The Waqf must be real property or quantifiable riches. This property or wealth (money, property, shares, etc.) should yield a continuous and, in contrast to consumable wealth, a lasting profit. Texts as well as the Prophet’s practice establishing Waqf are numerous. In Hadith it is said that, “When a man dies his works stop bringing him a reward with the exception of three actions: continuous charity, a useful science and a pious son who invokes God …” All actions providing a long-term profit are considered continuous alms. Caliph Omar Ibn Khattab owned a piece of land to which he was attached, and wanted to donate it. He went to ask the advice of the Prophet, who advised him to block it for the needy: “If you want you can block the capital and give its fruits as alms. However, the land cannot then be sold, given or inherited by descendants…” Some eighty of the Prophet’s companions made similar bequests. Since then the Waqf practice has extended to all Muslim societies, and the volume of bequests has become so considerable that the majority of Muslim countries have ministers who work exclusively on the management of Waqf. Waqf management comprises both the technical (upkeep, production, administration) and the distribution aspect (financing of charitable and social works).
“The projects financed by Waqf have been very diverse, covering social, humanitarian, cultural and economic domains. They have included the sinking of wells, the construction of water fountains, the construction of homes for the poor unable to pay rent, free hostels and hotels for travelers, the maintenance of bridges and roads, the organization of funerals for the poor, the upkeep of cemeteries, help for the blind, the handicapped and the imprisoned, the financing of weddings for the unmarried poor, the construction and maintenance of orphanages, food centers serving free meals, the construction and maintenance of mosques, and the provision of milk for children”.
At the beginning of the Muslim Era five schools of jurisprudence, which were inspired by the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet Mohammad (SAW), developed to legislate on all questions concerning religion and the economic, political and social life of Muslims. They are the Maliki, Shafi , Hanafi , Hanbali and Jafari schools. The projects financed by Waqf have been very diverse, covering social, humanitarian, cultural and economic domains. They have included the sinking of wells, the construction of water fountains, the construction of homes for the poor unable to pay rent, free hostels and hotels for travelers, the maintenance of bridges and roads, the organization of funerals for the poor, the upkeep of cemeteries, help for the blind, the handicapped and the imprisoned, the financing of weddings for the unmarried poor, the construction and maintenance of orphanages, food centers serving free meals, the construction and maintenance of mosques, and the provision of milk for children.
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