Administrative Challenges of WAQF Institution in the Contemporary World: Future Prospects

This paper aims at exploring the administrative challenges of waqf as a prominent mechanism of poverty alleviation and provision of social welfare services. Waqf is generally regarded to be one of the most effective ways of expressing philanthropy for sustaining the welfare of the needy, the poor, the family, and the society. Through this philanthropic institution, wealth is transferred from private ownership to public utility. Personal assets of useful value can be endowed in waqf for the all-round services of the society; religious, social, economic, and educational sectors, under certain conditions and regulations laid down by the Sharīʻah. Right from the time of the Holy Prophet, waqf has been benefitting people and defraying public expenses as it served as an effective means of funding mosques, graveyards, orphanages, schools, hospitals, bakeries, warehouses, mills, and numerous humanitarian or religious foundations. Similarly, this institution was successfully financing agriculture, horticulture and water resources during the previous centuries, as it was used to cater for the aged, infirm, destitute, and even animals. However, with the advent of colonialism in the Islamic world and subsequent negative transformation of Islamic culture and tradition, this strategic financial institution eventually started to turn into a shadow of its former glorious status. By adopting the narrative approach of qualitative research method, this study analyses the current administrative problems facing waqf institution in a bid to finding their lasting solutions and resuscitating its humanitarian functions.