Get to know the meaning of Waqf and be a partner in good with us.
Waqf is a form of charity made as an endowment.
In Arabic, Waqf (plural, Awqaf) means to ‘hold,’ and in Islam the concept of Waqf means to hold an original asset while making its benefits freely available to others as a form of ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said to his companion Umar ibn al-Khattab when he acquired a piece of land in Khaybar, “If you wish you can keep its origin as an endowment (Waqf), and give its yield in charity."
The yield from this Waqf benefited society in multiple ways including helping the poor, benefiting travellers and supporting the emancipation of slaves. The administrators were permitted to eat from the yield in a reasonable way, but the principal asset would be ‘held;’ it could not be sold, gifted or bequeathed.
For a Waqf to be valid, the Waqif (Waqf donor) must be eligible to donate. This means they must be free, adult, sane, and wise. They must own the property they wish to endow, but cannot be coerced into donating their property to Waqf.
The Waqf donor must fulfill the following criteria:
Not coerced into making the Waqf
Must be free, adult, sane, and wise
Must own the property they wish to endow
Conditions for the Waqf asset:
- The item intended for Waqf must be a valuable asset that is
permissible for use in Shariah. For example, alcohol cannot be made
into Waqf.
- The asset must be well-defined and owned by the donor at the time
of establishing the Waqf. The time at which the donation is made
must also be specified clearly.
- The Waqf asset can be in the form of cash, real estate, shares, or
any movable property that can be benefited from. However, the
benefit from it must be continuous and permanent, not consumables
that perish, such as food items. A hared property can also be
endowed.
- This refers to a share that one or more of the partners own in
undivided property like land, building etc, provided it is known
by its proportion (i.e. a quarter, a half, or by its area).
- If a property is endowed, it is permissible for it to increase as
a result of additions made to it, whether these are tangible
in-kind additions or monetary, depending on the circumstances.
Conditions for the Waqf beneficiary:
- This Waqf beneficiary is the person, people, or entity entitled to the proceeds and benefits of the Waqf asset. It is those for whom the Waqf is made by the donor, in an endeavour to please Allah through the charitable act.
- The Waqf beneficiary must be eligible for Waqf according to Shariah,
and the Waqf asset must be dedicated to a cause that does not end or
cease. This applies to all Waqf donations made for charitable causes
such as education, feeding those in need, and other righteous causes.
1. Continuity
As long as the original Waqf asset remains, the benefits from it will continue to be used for charitable causes over a long period of time. Similarly, the spiritual reward for the donor of the Waqf will continue indefinitely.
2. Charity
The Waqf asset cannot be owned by anyone but its benefit can be utilised for charity. It is held for the sake of Allah and cannot be sold to anyone. It can only be used for righteous and charitable purposes.
3. Community
The benefit from a Waqf asset can be general to help wider society. Unlike other types of charity that may benefit an individual or family, Waqf can benefit the entire community in various ways.
