الوَقْفُ وَتَنْمِيَةُ مُجْتَمَعَاتِنَا : Waqf and the Development of Our Communities

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

الوَقْفُ وَتَنْمِيَةُ مُجْتَمَعَاتِنَا

Waqf and the Development of Our Communities.

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, who called upon His servants to hasten towards goodness so that He might bestow upon them a magnificent reward. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, having no partner; He multiplies [rewards] for whom He wills, and Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. I also bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and Messenger, who was ever-diligent and ready to act upon the commandments of the Lord of the Worlds. May the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and his followers who act upon his teachings. This is the recited verse from Surah Al Baqara and its translation:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم- بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

مَثَلُ الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ اَنۡۢبَتَتۡ سَبۡعَ سَنَابِلَ فِىۡ كُلِّ سُنۡۢبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ‌ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُضٰعِفُ لِمَنۡ يَّشَآءُ‌ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ

The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allâh, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allâh gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knower

Surah Al Baqara – 261

O servants of ALLAH: Fear ALLAH and Adopt piety and obey ALLAH. O believers: Fear Allah as He ought to be feared, adhere to His perfect path, and seek His aid in all your affairs; He will guide your endeavors and bestow upon you abundant reward. Know—may Allah have mercy upon is all —that Allah has created people with an innate disposition to love goodness, to extend kindness and benevolence, to participate in constructive efforts, and to offer what is most beneficial and advantageous to others. ALLAH says in Surah Al Room:

فِطۡرَتَ اللّٰهِ الَّتِىۡ فَطَرَ النَّاسَ عَلَيۡهَا

Allâh's Fitrah (i.e. Allâh's Islâmic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind

Surah Al Room – 30-Part

Alongside the values of goodness that flow abundantly from within the human soul, religion comes to affirm these principles and ideals; it has delineated the attributes of the God-fearing—those deserving of forgiveness, Paradise, and divine rewards—and the foremost attribute it mentions is spending in the cause of God:

الَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ فِى السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ وَالۡكٰظِمِيۡنَ الۡغَيۡظَ وَالۡعَافِيۡنَ عَنِ النَّاسِ‌ؕ وَاللّٰهُ يُحِبُّ الۡمُحۡسِنِيۡنَ‌ۚ

Those who spend [in Allâh's Cause] in prosperity and in adversity,[] who repress anger,[] and who pardon men; verily, Allâh loves Al-Muhsinûn[] (the good - doers).

Surah Aal E Imran – 134

Spending—O servants of Allah—is a term encompassing every act of kindness toward others, regardless of whether that act is small or great. Among the best forms of spending and charity is that whose reward continues both during the giver's lifetime and after their death; this is known as Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity) or Waqf (endowment). It is reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Indeed, among the deeds and good works that reach a believer after their death are..." "...knowledge he disseminated, a righteous child he left behind, a copy of the Quran he bequeathed, a mosque he built, a shelter for the wayfarer he constructed, a stream he caused to flow, or charity he gave from his wealth during his health and lifetime—[the rewards of] which reach him after his death." Thus, the Waqf (endowment) is considered a sophisticated system of charity, a tremendous source of philanthropic spending, a symbol of generosity and giving, and a vital pillar of the economy within Muslim society.

O Believers: In Islam, Waqf (endowment) consists of setting aside an asset and dedicating the benefit derived from it to a charitable cause. The "asset" refers to something that can be utilized while the substance of the property itself remains intact—such as real estate, commercial premises, farms, and the like. The "benefit" refers to the yield or return generated by that asset—such as rental income, produce, the right of residence in a house, and so forth. In a hadith narrated by Seyyedina ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘ Seyyedina Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) acquired a piece of land in Khaybar. He went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to seek his counsel regarding it, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, I have acquired land in Khaybar; I have never obtained any property more precious to me than it. What do you command me to do with it?" The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: "If you wish, you may withhold the principal—keeping the land itself intact—and give away its produce in charity." So, ‘Seyyedina Umar (peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him) gave it as charity, stipulating that the land itself could not be sold, purchased, inherited, or gifted. Umar gave [the property] in charity to the poor, relatives, the freeing of slaves, the cause of Allah, the wayfarer, and the guest; there is no blame upon the one who administers it if he consumes from it in a reasonable manner or feeds a friend, provided he does not accumulate wealth from it. Furthermore, when a person intends to designate a portion of their assets as an endowment (waqf), they should consider what is most beneficial and important regarding the beneficiary or cause to which the endowment’s funds are to be allocated. They should not designate an endowment for a cause that is already sufficiently provided for by existing endowments while other charitable causes remain deprived of such funding—especially when there is a public need for them. Let the potential donor consider the needs of their community and direct their endowment toward that which is most beneficial to the people and best serves their well-being.

So fear Allah—O servants of Allah—and dedicate a portion of your wealth to uplift your community; let souls be generous and hands open in benevolence, for the best of people are those who are most beneficial to others.

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

I say what you hear, and I ask forgiveness from ALLAH Almighty for me and for you, so ask forgiveness from Him and He will forgive you, for He is the Forgiving and Merciful, and pray to Him and He will answer you, for He is The noble righteousness

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الحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي حَثَّ عَلَى رِعَايَةِ مَصَالِحِ العِبَادِ، وَرَغَّبَ فِي عِمَارَةِ البِلادِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ سَيِّدَنَا وَنَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، أَمَرَ بِشُكْرِ المُحْسِنِينَ، وَالتَّعَاوُنِ عَلَى مَا فِيهِ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ، ﷺ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَالتَّابِعِينَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Praise be to Allah, Who has encouraged the safeguarding of the people's interests and urged the development of the land. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that our master and prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and Messenger; he commanded us to show gratitude to those who do good and to cooperate in matters that bring benefit to all people. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

O servants of Allah: Our true and upright religion strives to establish a dynamic society—one possessing the productive foundations, economic strength, and moral and social standing that qualify it to achieve progress and prosperity. Consequently, the religion has attached immense importance to development; it has outlined the principles upon which it rests and warned against the obstacles that hinder it—all with the aim of realizing the public good, fostering social solidarity, and facilitating avenues for humanitarian work. The realm of Waqf (religious endowment) is by no means narrow; rather, it is vast, encompassing all forms of benevolence across religious, social, health, educational, and other sectors. It is therefore incumbent upon us to revive the tradition of Waqf and restore its role in fostering development, achievement, the public good, and the consolidation of charitable endeavors. Waqf has always performed—and continues to perform—a vital civilizational function, ensuring the continuity of giving and the enduring nature of goodness and benefit. May ALLAH bless those generous souls for all they have contributed—and continue to contribute—to the service of our communities and the advancement of our nations. ALLAH says in Surah Al Zilzal

فَمَنۡ يَّعۡمَلۡ مِثۡقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيۡرًا يَّرَهٗ ؕ‏

So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.

Surah Al Zalzala – 7

Let us not forget that the investment of wealth in Islam is essential for human development and a fundamental pillar of civilization. We therefore call upon merchants and holders of capital to contribute to Waqf (endowment) institutions that care for the vulnerable, the needy, the infirm, and others. To those seeking the best way to grow their wealth: this is the finest path—bringing serenity to the soul, tranquility to the heart, and blessings to one’s life, livelihood, health, spouse, and children. May the good deeds and positive legacies we leave behind endure—remaining among people as a source of benefit and a cherished memory, and stored with Allah as provision and a treasure. So, O servant of Allah, where is the positive impact you have on those around you? And where is your distinctive mark upon your community?

Therefore, fear Allah—O servants of Allah—exhort one another to goodness, and cooperate in righteousness; let there be a share for you in every good deed and a portion in every act of virtue. ALLAH says in Surah Al Baqara

اَلَّذِيۡنَ يُنۡفِقُوۡنَ اَمۡوَالَهُمۡ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ لَا يُتۡبِعُوۡنَ مَاۤ اَنۡفَقُوۡا مَنًّا وَّلَاۤ اَذًى‌ۙ لَّهُمۡ اَجۡرُهُمۡ عِنۡدَ رَبِّهِمۡ‌ۚ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ

Those who spend their wealth in the Cause of Allâh, and do not follow up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, their reward is with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve

Surah Al Baqara – 262