What is "waqf"

n. An endowment of land, in certain Islamic countries, given over for religious or charitable purposes.

A waqf, also spelled wakf (, pronounced ; plural , awqāf; , ), or mortmain property, is, under the context of charity " sadaqah", an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law, typically donating a building or plot of land or even cash for Muslim religious or charitable purposes with no intention of reclaiming the assets. The donated assets may be held by a charitable trust. The grant is known as mushrut-ul-khidmat, while a person making such dedication is known as wakif, a donor. In Ottoman Turkish law, and later under the British Mandate of Palestine, the waqf was defined as usufruct State land (or property) of which the State revenues are assured to pious foundations. Although based on several hadiths and presenting elements similar to practices from pre-Islamic cultures, it seems that the specific full-fledged Islamic legal form of endowment called waqf dates from the 9th century CE (see paragraph "History and location").