Islamic scholars and community leaders have called on wealthy Muslims to embrace WAQF, the Islamic charitable endowment system, as a sustainable means of promoting equitable wealth distribution, reducing poverty, and advancing community development.
The call was made on Saturday in Abuja during the 1448 AH Public Lecture, Awards Ceremony, Calendar Launch and Borehole Fundraising organised by the El-Birru Muslim Association of Nigeria (EMAN).
Delivering a lecture titled “Waqf Analysis Towards Ummah Economic Stability,”
Professor Juwairiya Badamasuiy, an expert in Waqf administration, described Waqf as one of Islam’s greatest contributions to human civilisation, combining spirituality, philanthropy, social responsibility and economic development.
She urged affluent Muslims to establish Waqf endowments to create lasting legacies that would continue to benefit society long after their lifetime.
According to her, economic stability is a fundamental objective of Islam, with wealth regarded as a trust from Allah to be acquired lawfully, managed responsibly and distributed fairly for the benefit of society.
She explained that Waqf is a permanent Islamic charitable endowment in which an asset is dedicated solely for the service of Allah. Such assets cannot be sold, inherited or transferred, while the proceeds generated from them are used continuously to support humanitarian and developmental causes.
Professor Badamasuiy noted that Waqf serves as a form of Sadaqah Jariyah (continuous charity), enabling donors to earn ongoing spiritual rewards as long as the endowment benefits humanity.
She said historically, Waqf institutions financed schools, hospitals, mosques, roads, water projects and social welfare programmes across Muslim societies, adding that revitalising the institution could provide practical solutions to modern challenges such as poverty, unemployment, inadequate educational facilities and limited social welfare systems.
“Waqf represents a sustainable model of social investment where returns are continually reinvested into community welfare, promoting intergenerational equity and inclusive development,” she said.
She further explained that Waqf funds are commonly used to establish and maintain critical public infrastructure, including mosques, schools, hospitals, orphanages and boreholes, while the benefits are distributed according to the donor’s original intentions.
Speaking at the event, the Special Guest of Honour and National Chief Imam/Executive Director of the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society of Nigeria, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, encouraged wealthy Muslims to dedicate part of their wealth and properties as Waqf for the service of Allah and humanity.
He also urged Muslims to establish family Waqf schemes, explaining that such arrangements would provide long-term benefits for future generations while serving as acts of perpetual charity.
Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Muhammed Kabir Badamasuiy, commended the leadership of EMAN for organising the programme and praised members of the association for their commitment to raising funds for the construction of boreholes in rural communities.
He described the initiative as a significant contribution to improving access to clean water and enhancing the welfare of underserved communities.
The event featured the presentation of awards to deserving individuals, including several posthumous recognitions, as well as the official launch of EMAN’s 1448 AH calendar and the association’s rural borehole development project.
Keywords: EMAN, Waqf, Islamic charity, Abuja, Professor Juwairiya Badamasuiy, Imam Fuad Adeyemi, borehole project, wealth distribution, Muslim community, Islamic endowment, Nigeria.
