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Waqf means the permanent dedication by a person professing Islam of any movable of immovable property for any purpose recognized by Muslim Law as pious, religious, or charitable, and includes any other endowment or grant for the aforesaid purposes, a waqf by user, and a waqf created by a non-Muslim. |
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What is Waqf ?
Waqf means the permanent dedication by a person professing Islam of any movable or immovable property recognized by Muslim Law as religious, or charitable purpuse, and includes any other endowment or grant for the aforesaid purposes, a waqf by user, and a waqf created by a non-Muslim.
Waqf, in Arabic language, means hold, confinement or prohibition. The word waqf is used in Islam in the meaning of holding certain property and preserving it for the confined benefit of certain philanthropists and prohibiting any use or disposition of it outside that specific objectives. Therefore waqf widely relates to land and buildings. Moreover, there are waqf of books, agricultural machinery, cattle, shares and stocks and cash money.
Functions of the Waqf Administration.
a) Investigating and determining the nature and extent of waqfs properties, and calling from time to time for accounts, returns and information from Mutawallis;
b) Ensuring waqf properties and income arising there from, to be applied asper objectives and purpose for the benifit of any class or persons for such waqfs were created or intended;
c) Giving directions for the proper administration of waqfs;
d) Managing himself, (Administrator) or through the emplayus employed under this ordinance or persons authorized by him, any waqf of which he may take or retain charge under this Ordinance and doing all such acts as may be necessary for the proper control, administration and management of any such property;
e) Fixing the remuneration of a mutawally, where there is no provision for such remuneration in the waqf deed;
f) Investing of any money received as compensation for the acquision of waqf properties under any law for the time being in force, by himself (Administrative) or by issuing directions for proper investment by the mutawalli; and
g) Generally doing all such acts as may be necessary for the due control, maintenance and administration of waqfs.
History of Bangladesh waqf Administration
The concept, extent and nature of Waqfs in Bangladesh is mainly based on the rules laid down by the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). In Consistant with the principles of Islam and various legislative enactments and judicial decision, Waqfs in Bangladesh are created primarily as a family settlement of the Waqifs or dedicator’s family or descendants with the main objectives for charity and religious activities as well as security for posterity.
Traditionally, the Muslim population of Bangladesh are deeply religious in sentiment having great attachment to the Islamic institutions and culture. These traits are more prominent in the eastern districts of the country due to the influence of Muslim preachers and saints who worked in those area comparatively more extensively, as such, vast endowments for multiple religious and social welfare activities exist there.
Though Waqfs imply dedication of properties in the name of Allah, in Bangladesh, keeping the spirit of Divine bliss we have different Purpose oriented waqfs. In some cases total income of the waqfs goes to the maintenance of Mosques, Madrashas, Idgahs, Graveyards, feeding the poor and celebration of different Islamic festivals, while in other cases, the income is divided in various proportions for the purpose mentioned in the waqf documents such as charity, redemption of obligation, benefit of descendants of the waqifs. Where more than 50% of the net available income of a waqf property is exclusively applied for religious and charitable purposes, such a waqf is deemed to be a Public Waqf. Similarly, Endowments where more than 50% of the net available income is meant for waqif’s descendants, such a waqf is treated to be a Waqf-al-Awlad.
As there was no survey conducted for finding out the waqf properties before 1986, Ministry of Religious Affairs have had a survey by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics and staggering number of 1,50,593 waqfs establishment were found out to have existent by that year. Of course, new waqf estate is being born with the passage of time out of intense reasons, department of Waqf could only manage to enroll about 14000 waqf estates- mainly big ones.
The Department of Waqf inherited by the Government of Bangladesh was a very small Organization. In line with the new policy of the Govt. a re-organized set up was conceived in 1988, as a result, a workable Waqf Administrative set up will now be operational with Divisional and District level offices. Department of Waqf is headed by the Waqf Administrator and the Department with all its resource Constraints look after various religious and Socio-Economic institutions including 10,000 Mosques, 500 Madrasha’s has, 10 Orphanages, 5 charitable dispensaries etc. In addition, the department also administers a Welfare Fund from where stipends and scholarship are awarded to poor and meritorious students as well financial grants to destitute Muslims and newly converted Muslims for their instant assistance and Rehabilitation.
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