Waqf
The waqf (Arabic وقف, pious foundation ', plural Awqaf / أوقاف, Turkish Vakıf, Bulgarian вакъф / Vakuf, Bosnia Vakuf, in the Maghreb Habus ) is a foundation of comparable Institute of Islamic law, in German as a pious foundation referred to.
Pious foundations are divided into non-profit foundations and family foundations, which must have at least one nonprofit final goal after extinction of the beneficiary. The Institute of the Family Foundation was abolished in the 20th century in many Islamic States or placed under the family foundations of state control. The founders established the Foundation in that it determines a recognized purpose of Islam, declared their intention to establish the foundation for all times, they can register with a Kadi and the Foundation's assets passes to an administrator, which allows him to be himself. As the owner of Foundation Good God is thought for the creatures it is managed, it is therefore inalienable property of the dead hand.
Awqaf mainly played from 11th to 19th century under the Seljuk Turks and the Ottoman Empire a significant role. The Foundation's assets was donated by private individuals to serve charitable institutions or to finance such. This could mosques, schools ( madrasah ), Sufi convents ( Tekken ), its hospitals or facilities for feeding the poor, but also mills, water wheels, irrigation channels and public fountains. Must be distinguished from foundations of the Sultan, where to go instead of certain taxes in the general fund, earmarked were: the maintenance of a mosque, to finance the pilgrimage etc.
The deed of foundation ( waqfiyya ) had a Kadi ( judge) be registered, which also supervised the compliance of the foundation conditions. In later times its own Ottoman Ministry was responsible for the management of foundations.
After the suppression of the Ottoman rule in the Balkans Vakufs remained in Bosnia after the Austrian occupation as a legal form; likewise existed Vakufs until the Second World War still in Yugoslavia and Albania. Only the Communists confiscated and smashed the foundations after 1945.
In Jerusalem, a Waqf manages the building on the Temple Mount, in the tombs of the Patriarchs in Hebron.
Derived names
- Donji Vakuf, small town in Central Bosnia
- Gornji Vakuf, small town in Central Bosnia
- Vakıfbank, largest bank in Turkey