Beneficiaries

Waqf proceeds cannot be allocated to sinful activities or for the promotion of sinful activities.

A Waqf can be established to serve any noble cause such as education, medical treatment or environmental protection.

It is permissible to stipulate students and scholars as beneficiaries of a Waqf.

Any institution can be designated as the beneficiary of Waqf proceeds. One may select a hospital as the beneficiary of Waqf.

Any institution can be designated as the beneficiary of Waqf proceeds. One may select a Masjid as the beneficiary of Waqf.

According to the majority of scholars, Waqf is given special status and attributed to Allah in terms of ownership. The ascription to Allah grants the Waqf special status; It acts as a barrier to prevent people tampering with the Waqf.

According to Islamic law, a Waqf can be specified for certain people or for people with certain attributes.

If the Waqf beneficiaries are individuals who have all passed away, the Waqf proceeds should be distributed to the poor and needy.

According to the Hanafi and Maliki schools, it is permissible to stipulate non-existent beneficiaries as future beneficiaries of the Waqf.

According to the AAOIFI Sharia Standards, a beneficiary does not have to accept the Waqf proceeds to be entitled to the Waqf. This is also the classical view of the Hanbali school.

Waqf does not operate based on potential inheritance shares. If children are stipulated as the beneficiaries of the Waqf proceeds, unless one has stipulated a difference in the distribution, all the children will benefit equally from the Waqf proceeds.

It is permissible to stipulate one’s children as a beneficiary of the Waqf. This falls under what scholars term al-Waqf al-Ahli.

It is permissible to stipulate one’s spouse as a beneficiary of the Waqf. This falls under what scholars term al-Waqf al-Ahli.

Zakat is a pillar of Islam with a specific objective and framework. It is an obligatory payment which functions as a faith tax for the development of the faithful and their faith.

Islam has made charitable actions and deeds very flexible and accommodating to encourage people to do such actions more.

Islam has made charitable actions and deeds very flexible and accommodating to encourage people to do such actions more. Waqf is a charitable endeavour and a voluntary action which is encouraged.

According to the Hanafi school and the AAOIFI Shariah Standards, a Waqf can be established where the Waqif is the immediate beneficiary. This is the position of Imam Abu Yusuf of the Hanafi school and it is the dominant position of the school.

It is permissible for the Waqif to designate himself as the Waqf beneficiary the Waqf in the Waqf constitution. The family of the Prophet ﷺ were designated as beneficiaries from the Waqf of the Prophet.

Waqf is a voluntary action which is recommended as it is a form of charity. The primary purpose of charitable actions is to please God. Therefore, any person can be the recipient of one’s charity.

The following conditions are pertinent when stipulating the beneficiaries of a Waqf…

A Waqf is an endowment. Since it is a voluntary performance and action, the Shariah has given much freedom and flexibility as to who benefits from the Waqf. Spending on non-Muslims is permitted and in fact rewarding as an act of charity.

The jurists have identified different types of Waqf such as family Waqf, charitable Waqf and joint Waqf. A family Waqf is one which is initially setup solely to serve one’s family. A charitable Waqf is one which is setup to serve the public interest and a charitable avenue from the outset.

A Waqf does not immediately need to serve charitable causes. For instance, a private Waqf immediately serves oneself and one’s family.

A Waqf is an endowment and inherently has a charitable element to it. Although Waqf is charitable in nature, no contract in Islamic law can be executed for an unlawful objective.