A waqf is a religious endowment in Islam, typically devoting a building or plot of land for Muslim religious purposes.
The practice of declaring property as waqf may also have its origins in the ancient Islamic estate law, whereby a man's property reverted to the nation's ruler upon the man's death, unlike in other cultures wherein a man's descendants or designees inherit. By declaring his estate as waqf and his descendants as trustees, a rich man could provide an income for his surviving family.
The waqf is commonly used to refer to the Muslim administrative body currently responsible for the area of the Temple Mount.
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Last updated: 10-23-2005 02:20:47
