1.

0 INTRODUCTION
The word Waqf is derived from the Arabic root, , or in verb Wakafa, means causing a
thing to stop and standstill. Besides that, it also means to hold, detain or keep. The concept
of Waqf or another word is endowment was developed by the Holy prophet Muhammad
S.A.W and has played important role in fulfilling the needs of socio-economic of the Ummah.
In Islam, Waqf is a religious endowment, that is a voluntary dedication of one's wealth or a
portion of it either in cash or and its spending for shariah compliant projects.
Waqf is one of the Islamic economy distribution and there is a few of Arabic terms are
widely used related to it such as Awqaf, the plural form of Waqf, Waqif, that is refer to the
endower or the owner of the property, Mawquf, that is the endowment and Mawquf Alaih is
used to refer to the beneficiary of the Waqf.
According to Ibrahim (2008), Waqf refer to the detention of a specific thing in the
ownership of waqif and focusing to its profits or benefits in charity for the poor or other good
intentions. Waqf is an act of holding certain property and preserve it for confined usufruct or
certain philanthropy that disallows any use or disposition outside the specific objective (Kahf,
1998). Waqf is necessary institution in Islam that focuses making a people property a
charitable endowment for the ongoing benefit of a certain class of persons or the public at
large. It applies to non-perishable property where the benefit of which can be extracted
without consuming the property itself (Toraman et al., 2004). In addition, Waqf also
comprises various kinds of assets such as: (i) Mosques, surau, religious schools, etc.; (ii)
Land for commercial or agricultural purposes; (iii) Land for mosques, surau, religious
schools, cemeteries and orphanages; (iv) Fund for the maintenance and upkeep of mosques,
surau, religious schools, etc.; and (v) Commercial and residential buildings.
Waqf is much important in Islam although it is not compulsory. For Muslims, the main
purpose of Waqf is to get closer to Allah and receive His blessings by spending wealth in the
way of Allah. It encourages on voluntary and important for social and economic functions.
The properties that have been chosen for Waqf must base on syariah allowed asset of value
where the asset must be identifiable, quantifiable and non-perishable. As example, a Waqf of
wine is invalid and items like food or medicine cannot be made Waqf as it perish on
consumption. Plus, The Minister at Prime Ministers Department, Datuk Jamil Khir Baharom
explained, unused Waqf land involves about 9,937 hectares with an estimated value of
RM1.9 billion must be developed efficiency and systematically, so it will benefit the Muslims.
There are four Islamic scholars that given different meaning of Waqf or endowment as
well. That is from Imam Al-Shafie, Al-Hanafi, Imam Al-Maliki and Imam Hanbali. Firstly is

Imam Al-Syafie. He said that, Waqf is to keep the wealth that can give benefit, and keep it
remaining in the same form while the original owner cannot consume it. In another word,
Waqf is to hold the wealth that is gave benefits to the needy and the wealth remains in the
same condition as well as the owner is not allowed to consume its benefits. Based on Imam
Al-Hanafi said, Waqf is defined as an action of preserving and up keeping wealth that could
give benefit to the needy rather than the owner itself.
Next, based on Imam Al-Malik, Waqf is considered as giving the right to consummate
the profit of that was given for endowment to whoever the endowment was meant for or the
needy. Lastly, Imam Hanbali added that Waqf is wealth that was kept from the consummation
of the original owner and gives its benefit to the poor and needy, and that wealth must remain
in the same condition without being consummate by the first owner.
In conclusion, Waqf can be defined as an endowment recommended by Islam that a
portion of an individuals wealth or the Mawquf being used to help the needy and the benefits
that come from it cannot be consumed by the owner or the waqif itself.