This book provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of Waqf (endowment), addressing specific issues, models, solutions, structures and practices. As Islamic finance has gained in significance, so too has the institution of Waqf, working towards creating an enterprising and an entrepreneurial community across the globe, in order to meet the underlying objectives of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by targeting the low-income group in particular. The book analyses the historical context of Waqf as well as its revival in the digital era. It addresses the laws and policies affecting the management of Waqf, such as Maqasid al-Shari’ah, law and policies, law and fiscal reform, regulations applied within Muslim countries, judicial procedures and dispute resolutions and covers the core issues concerning the formalities of Waqf, its management and corporate governance questions. The book includes a series of specialised chapters focusing on the products and services of Waqf, covering product innovation, product development, and then assesses the risk factors in Waqf and Waqf Takaful. Finally, it focuses on the challenges of Waqf and offers recommendations for the way forward. A timely and practical guide, comprising a literature review and future research directions, as well as a number of international case studies, this will be a key reference for academics, students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

Waqf is one of the most potent socio-economic tools for reducing public sector deficit and breaking the chain of intergenerational poverty. Providing a high-level discussion on waqf development and innovation within the context of modern socio-economic and legal developments, this book examines the importance and potentials of waqf and the issues relating to its legal and regulatory framework. The research delivers future directions for countries that plan to explore this socio-economic institution. Readers and policymakers will be able to replicate successful experiments and learn from some failed initiatives to seek alternative funding platforms to support the fiscal policies of developing countries. The volume discusses the relevance and novel application of waqf in the modern economic system and social development, it reviews applicable laws and regulations pertaining to waqf and trust laws and examines critical, cross-country case studies and experiences. Setting an agenda for further researchers in the field of waqf, this comprehensive high-level analysis, with case studies from leading jurisdictions across the world, is a key resource for researchers, policymakers and institutions interested in charitable endowments, Islamic finance, and social finance.

Background 1. In the Arabic language, the word waqf or habs means preventing something from movement. In Shari’ah terminology, waqf refers to making a property invulnerable to disposition that leads to a transfer of ownership, and donating the usufruct, or the fruit of the asset, to beneficiaries. Waqf is permissible in Shari’ah, as has been emphasized by the Sunnah (Prophetic traditions) and Ijma’ (consensus of Fuqaha). Waqf is also a binding commitment; therefore, the declaring of a property as waqf would simultaneously deprive its donating owner of the right of ownership.1 2. There are several types of waqf, the most important being charitable waqf (al-waqf al-khayri), family waqf (al-waqf al-ahli), joint waqf (al-waqf al-mushtarak), and self-dedicated waqf (al-waqf’ala al-nafs). The basic elements of waqf include: the form of the donation, the waqif (the donor), the beneficiary, and the donated property. Waqf is permissible in the form of real estate along with permanent furniture and fittings, movable assets, money, shariah compliant shares and sukuk. Regulators and Supervisors will observe all of the regulations, including Shari’ah-related regulation, to ensure the compliance of all related parties. 3. The core principles of waqf, as part of Islamic finance, embrace the principle of altruism, which promotes or maximizes the benefits to others, inclusively for all humans and living beings. The principles emphasize the importance of maintaining or keeping public confidence high since the system is fully dependent upon the public’s propensity to donate. 4. A well-organized waqf system supported by information technology and compatible with other programs can be expected to serve as an additional vehicle of fund mobilization to support and significantly contribute to government economic development programs, particularly to programs for poverty reduction and comprehensive human development. 5. The institution of waqf has evolved over time and across different regions. Most regions have legal systems that reflect a traditional concern for preservation as captured in the three principles of perpetuity (assets/purpose), inalienability, and irreversibility. Contemporary scholars take a lenient view and permit temporary awqaf as well as reversibility under certain conditions. This waqf core principles duly acknowledges that there are different school of thoughts related to the law and the implementation of awqaf. The Waqf Core Principles (WCP) have thus been structured around certain basic building blocks focusing on “benevolence” and “mutual benefit” while also seeking to harmonize alternative viewpoints. Technical Considerations 6. The Waqf Core Principles (WCP) provide a clear positioning of the awqaf sector within the economic structure, especially in terms of providing direct socio-economic benefits (utilization of the corpus of awqaf in the form of fixed or non-fixed assets) and the contribution of low-cost financing from the returns on investment of the corpus of awqaf. 7. The Waqf Core Principles (WCP) provide clear and standardized systematics on the supporting elements of the worldwide-applicable waqf system. This waqf core principles is also positioned so as to ensure compatibility with, and the mutual recognition of, other financial sector prudential standards, as well as the latest regulatory standards that promote governance aspects. 8. The Waqf Core Principles (WCP) place the operational standards and supervision of the waqf sector at the same prudential level as that of other financial sectors. Operational standards are prepared to consider the risk-adjusted measures based on managed asset classes and the optimization of benefits for the community. 9. The Waqf Core Principles (WCP) dissect the elements of supervision related to the operationalization of the waqf system into a systematic arrangement structure as follows: a. Legal foundation; b. Waqf supervision; c. Good waqf governance; d. Risk management; e. Shari’ah governance. 10. This is the main reference document for the generation of various technical notes that cover specific technical aspects of waqf arrangement. 11. This is the main reference document for measuring the performance of waqf management while accommodating the technical and operational issues that different jurisdictions may involve. 12. This waqf core principles allows scope for the commingling of endowment funds with other philanthropy-driven funds while underlining the following: a. divine motivation; and b. the restriction of a portfolio only to halal businesses; c. the underlying physical asset. 13. The core principles underscore the importance of financial technology applications in waqf management.

Social financial reporting as an economic tool presents the firm as a socio-economic unit with empowered social capital to enable a sustainable economic solution, particularly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Islamic social finance (ISF) is a corporate social responsibility initiative in the form of humanitarian and socio-development programs by Islamic financial institutions and Shariah-compliant corporations. ISF is applied through various methods and tools that structure based on Islamic Sharia Law. For example, Islamic social finance tools would either be philanthropic, involving activities such as zakat (obligatory alms-giving), Sadaqah (voluntary alms-giving/charity), and waqf (endowment) or ta’awun (cooperation-based activities), which include Qardh al-hasan (benevolent loan) and kafala (guarantee). Thus, Islamic social finance instruments play a vital role in alleviating poverty and addressing socio-economic issues such as illiteracy, unemployment, malnutrition, and health issues. As such, integrated ISF reporting can empower sustainable economic development and lead to recovery. The Handbook of Research on Islamic Social Finance and Economic Recovery After a Global Health Crisis provides insights on the role of Islamic social finance in supporting and facilitating economic recovery in the post-COVID-19 era as well as reducing poverty and addressing the challenges of socio-economic problems such as education, unemployment, malnutrition, and health issues. This book is ideally intended for practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in improving their understanding on the role of Islamic social finance theoretically and empirically in solving the issue of poverty and developing excellent funds management to achieve economic empowerment with better environmental sustainability.

This book presents successful case studies in Muslim and Muslim minority countries that have revolutionized the redevelopment of idle waqf properties into productive land trusts. The revival of this institution over the last two decades shows the growing optimism in galvanizing the socioeconomic role of waqf by adopting its flexible shariah measures. Innovative ways of financing redevelopment allow Muslims to extend these roles to include new beneficiaries. New uses for these properties include providing services to the community, opening jobs for the majority of people, funding small entrepreneurs, educating the masses, providing health care, and sheltering the poor and needy. Countries under study include Sudan, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, New Zealand, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Iran. Additionally, the book examines the International Development Bank's role in financing the development old waqf properties in different countries.

Waqf is emerging globally as a distinctive institution, serving as a vital bridge between societal and economic needs, and resource allocation. Waqfs functioning in some parts of the world, of a variety of assets such as cash, stocks, securities, intellectual property rights, and other financial instruments by individual, institutional, and corporate wāqifs, are paving the way for financial and social inclusion. This book explains how the system of awqāf leads to welfare in society by facilitating financial and social intermediation. It describes waqf in accessible terms, focusing on how it helps people, communities, and nations, and how it can help make societies equitable, peaceful, efficient, and more prosperous. It comprises eight key themes, including a brief overview of the historical role of waqf in various periods in Muslim societies in socioeconomic sectors; the evolutionary aspects of waqf as an institution; the role of waqf in promoting entrepreneurship; the role of awqāf system in an economy by facilitating financial and social intermediation; potential options for using waqf as financial intermediation; an overview of the management and regulation of waqf entities; the organizational and legal framework for the institution of waqf; and key findings and recommendations for realizing the capacity of waqf in the pursuit of socioeconomic welfare. Specifically, the book takes Pakistan as a case study. This research-oriented book is tailored to readers interested in understanding the fundamental concepts of Islamic finance and social welfare, without requiring a background in the discipline. It caters to academics, researchers, policymakers, and those keen on exploring the transformative potential of waqf to achieve societal welfare and shared economic growth.

As an emerging global phenomenon, Islamic economics and the financial system has expanded exponentially in recent decades. Many components of the industry are still unknown, but hopefully, the lack of awareness will soon be stilled. The Handbook of Research on Theory and Practice of Global Islamic Finance provides emerging research on the latest global Islamic economic practices. The content within this publication examines risk management, economic justice, and stock market analysis. It is designed for financiers, banking professionals, economists, policymakers, researchers, academicians, and students interested in ideas centered on the development and practice of Islamic finance.

From an Islamic perspective, although the ownership of wealth is with God, humans are gifted with wealth to manage it with the objective of benefiting the human society. Such guidance means that wealth management is a process involving the accumulation, generation, purification, preservation and distribution of wealth, all to be conducted carefully in permissible ways. This book is the first to lay out a coherent framework on how wealth management should be conducted in compliance with guiding principles from edicts of a major world religion.

Most books on Islamic finance and development issues are written from an academic perspective. Although academic reflection is key for future direction, dissatisfaction with previous development efforts, as evidenced by their lack of sustainability, suggests the need for a different type of review. Development work is complex and requires a detailed and transparent approach in order to ensure a cogent resolution for potential long-term issues. Each intervention area requires specific elaboration for meaningful impact. The perfect solution for one sector might be detrimental for another. Islamic finance, with its strict Riba restrictions, rules, and other checks and balances, is a good fit for infrastructure development in pursuit of sustainable development. When it comes to sustainable development, this book argues, Islamic finance has the tools to intervene for maximum impact. However, the issue of sustainability is not only related to Islamic finance; more policy discourse is needed. This requires guidance from the principles of Islamic economics, as well. This book discusses infrastructure development vis-à-vis sustainable development, drawn from decades of real-life development banking experience, and proposes impactful intervention methods based on wisdom from Islamic economics and finance.