Awqaf Beneficiaries – Venerable or Vulnerable?
The waqf is a feature of Islamic civilization; and it’s not so much about the grand mosques that awe and inspire, or the magnificent shrines that amaze and impress. It’s …
A Model Orphanage in Kazakhstan
Ensuring a life of dignity for orphans is a very special act of piety, benevolence and kindness in Islam as in all religions. The holy Quran says: “Treat not the …
Developing a Governance Framework for Islamic Social Finance Institutions
February 12, 2015 An Islamic social finance institution is essentially a non-profit or charity organization that seeks to operationalize the concepts of waqf, zakah, sadaqah and qard hasan. It has …
Revisiting Islamic Philanthropy for Sustainable Opportunities Finance
2nd Yayasan Tun Ismail Berdafter Public Lecture on Islamic Finance at Kuala Lumpur Plan of Lecture: Opportunities Finance in Islam Institutions of Islamic Philanthropy 2.1. Institution of Zakat 2.2. Institution …
Plantation Waqf to Promote Education: Sale and Waqf Back
In a few earlier blogs I have highlighted cases where the concept of waqf has been used in an innovative manner, e.g. creation of a corporate waqf for provision of …
Corporate Waqf: Focusing on the Real Economy
Creative and innovative minds have experimented with the idea before. The Vehbi Koç Foundation (Vehbi Koç Vakfı) was endowed way back in 1969. It is perhaps the first documented case …
It is Happening Again: The Rejuvenation of Awqaf in the Balkans
A google search on “awqaf in the Balkan countries” yields little that may be termed as informative content. A search in wikipedia says no pages on the subject exist. Yet …
Engineering a Waqf for Microfinance: The Fa’el Khair Program
S/he was a donor with a difference. A single donation of SAR500 million or USD130 million was large enough to be conspicuous. What was unique about this donation however, was …
What the State Waqf Boards in India may Learn from Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura
The State Waqf Boards in India and the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) in Singapore have a similar role to play in the preservation and development of waqf properties. Both …
APIF: A Model for Financing Waqf Development in India
Development of awqaf sector in India like its counterparts elsewhere faces the critical challenge of liquidity. The portfolio of awqaf assets is highly imbalanced in favor of physical assets. Cash and monetary …