What Does Waqf (Endowment) Mean in Arabic?
وَقْف
waqf
Root: و ق ف
Waqf (Endowment) Waqf is an Islamic endowment in which property is dedicated in perpetuity for charitable purposes. The principal cannot be sold or transferred; only its revenues are used for the designated charitable cause. It is considered sadaqa jariya (ongoing charity) that continues to benefit the donor after death. Mosques, schools, hospitals, and libraries have historically been funded through waqf institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions about Waqf (Endowment)
What does Waqf (Endowment) mean in Islam?
Waqf is an Islamic endowment in which property is dedicated in perpetuity for charitable purposes. The principal cannot be sold or transferred; only its revenues are used for the designated charitable cause. It is considered sadaqa jariya (ongoing charity) that continues to benefit the donor after death. Mosques, schools, hospitals, and libraries have historically been funded through waqf institutions.
What is the Arabic root of Waqf (Endowment)?
The Arabic root letters of Waqf (Endowment) are و ق ف.
Related Words
حَلَال
Halal (Permissible)
Halal refers to anything permissible or lawful under Islamic law. It applies to food, drink, financial transactions, and behavior. The Quran repeatedly instructs believers to eat from what is halal and good (tayyib). Halal is the opposite of haram (forbidden) and forms one of the five rulings (ahkam) of Islamic jurisprudence.
حَرَام
Haram (Forbidden)
Haram refers to anything strictly forbidden by Islamic law. Committing a haram act is a sin deserving punishment in both this world and the hereafter. Major categories include pork, alcohol, usury (riba), adultery, and murder. Islamic jurisprudence identifies five rulings (ahkam); haram is the most severe prohibition.
فَرْض
Fard (Obligatory)
Fard is an obligatory religious duty in Islam whose performance is rewarded and whose neglect is sinful. The five pillars of Islam — shahada, salah, zakat, sawm, and hajj — are all fard. Fard is divided into fard ayn (individual obligation) and fard kifaya (collective obligation fulfilled when enough people perform it).
وَاجِب
Wajib (Necessary)
Wajib in Hanafi jurisprudence is an obligatory act slightly below fard in rank, established by probable (zanni) rather than definitive (qati) evidence. Neglecting it is sinful but less severe than neglecting fard. Examples include witr prayer, udhiyya (sacrifice), and sadaqat al-fitr. In Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali schools, wajib and fard are synonymous.