Wakf
/wɑːk/noun
An Islamic charitable or religious endowment whose property is permanently dedicated to a specified purpose.
Did you know?In Islamic law, a wakf could preserve land, buildings, books, or income for mosques, schools, hospitals, and the poor, making charitable intention legally enduring across generations.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
waqafa
“to stop, stand still, or cause something to remain in place”
Early Islamic period
Arabic
waqf
“a property or asset stopped from ordinary private disposal and dedicated for a pious or charitable purpose”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
waqf
“a permanent religious or charitable endowment”
Ottoman period
Ottoman Turkish
vakıf
“a legally established charitable foundation or endowed property”
18th–19th Century
English
wakf
“An English spelling of the Islamic legal term, especially in discussions of Muslim law and administration”
Modern English
English
wakf
“A variant spelling of waqf, referring to an Islamic endowment”