Towards Empowerment of the Muslim Community in SA

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Towards Empowerment of the Muslim Community in SA
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Empowerment

• a means for gaining power on the personal,
  interpersonal, social, economic, political
  levels . . .
• power involves experiencing oneself as an
  effective and capable person

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Empowerment

• a social action process that
• promotes participation of people, organizations
  and communities in gaining control over their
  lives in their community and larger society
• Empowerment is not having the power to dominate
  others
• but having the power to act with others in order
  to promote change.

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Towards Empowerment of the Muslim Community in SA

• a strategy for change
• from idea to implementation

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Topics of Discussion

• Concerns of SA Muslims
• Solutions

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Muslim Concerns

• Globalization
• Political
• Social
• Economic
• Religious
• Educational
• HIV / AIDS

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Muslim Concerns

• Leadership
• Intellectual
• Moral ethical
• International Muslim involvement
• Contribution to the new South Africa
• Dawah

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Solution New institutions to address concerns

• WAQF - awqaf
• Trust Endowment
• Permanent dedication - fi sabilillah
• Of movable or immovable properties
• Religious, charitable or social services.
• Motivated by sense of resp to humanity
• Emerges from a desire to please Allah through
  serving his creation

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Awqaf

• The Prophet (saw) encouraged Sahaba
• Sahaba gave their best properties in waqf
• Poor
• Mujahideen
• Freedom of slaves
• The wayfarer
• General welfare of the Ummah
• Benevolent loans
• Deeply rooted in Shariah heritage
• Sadaqah jariah

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Awqaf

• Integrated development of the Ummah
• Historically evolved as a major development
  institution Ottomans
• Muslim Turkey, Pakistan, Bangla Desh
• Non-Muslim India, Kenya, Uganda
• Revival of Sunnah
• Vehicle for contribution
• Benefits material and spiritual

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Role of Awqaf in SA

• Strategic objectives of SA Muslim community
• Mobilise community capital
• Used to empower Muslims and the poor
• Wills bequeath one third to waqf
• Government wants partners for development
• Beneficiaries
• Not restricted to Muslims only
• The Poor, Youth, education, culture etc
• New Muslims
• Emigrant Muslim communities
• Business skills or loans
• Literacy / poverty alleviation
• Historically disadvantaged in SA

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New institutions

• Another new organisation
• Not to replace, compete or duplicate
• How different?
• Unique - non existent
• Unification strategies
• Funding agency co-operate collaborate
• Harness the disparate strengths for collective
  action

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Aims

• To become a powerful but benevolent community
• Mobilization of community capital and community
  reinvestment within the community
• Identify immediate goals and long-term strategic
  objectives
• Empowerment and development of target communities
• Encourage self-reliance
• To make every SA Muslim a Waqif

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Conclusion

• Self marginalizing
• Window of opportunity
• Cannot remain aloof amidst poverty
• Cannot expect Govt to do everything
• SA Muslims should clarify strategic roles
• Engage actively

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Conclusion

• Awqaf deeply rooted Shariah institution
• Offers development and empowerment
• Promote goodwill
• Vehicle for contribution
• Benefits in this world and the hereafter

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• Jazakallah

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WAQF
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Definition of Waqf

• A waqf is the permanent dedication,
  fi-sabili-llah, by a Muslim of movable or
  immovable properties he owns with the purpose of
  providing stipulated religious, charitable or
  social services.

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Definition of Waqf (2)

• means bequesting the property and dedicating
  the fruit.
• Qudama
• Bequesting here means terminating the owners
  right

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Economic definition of Waqf

• Diverting funds (and other resources) from
  consumption and investing them in productive
  assets that provide either usufruct or revenues
  for future consumption by individuals or groups
  of individuals.

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Types of waqf

• General waqf
• Private waqf

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Two components of Waqf

• Hayrat buildings
• Akharat revenue

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Waqfiya

• Document that that describes these two
  components.
• It determines the principles relating to the
  running of the revenue source
• Outlines the the purposes for the usage of the
  proceeds
• Assignes beneficiaries.

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Sustainability

• Uniqueness of Waqf
• Compared to handouts
• Perpetuity
• Where is all the charity that we have given, what
  have we to show for it

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Ownership of Waqf

• Founder Imaam Malik
• Beneficiaries Imaam Abu Hanifa
• Allah Imaam Shafi, consensus
• Contemporary legal entity eg trust

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History of waqf

• Mukhairij Jew, died at Uhud, the seven orchids
• Hazrat Umar
• Ruma Well - Bani Gaffar - Uthman

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History - role of waqf in development of
societies

• Morocco
• Turkey Balkans
• Egypt
• Palestine
• India
• Sicily, Italy 300 elementary schools
• Uganda
• Kenya

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Morocco

• Al Qarawyun mosque in Fez Fatima Fihri 245AH
  inherited land, waqf , even built the Mosque
• Waqf for people who use to say Straighten your
  lines, May Allah bless you
• dev on 6th C AH - University of Al Qarawiyun-
  Islamic teachings, later diversification
  scientific, history, algebra, medicine, pharmacy
• Al Andalusiyan Mosque in Fes Maryam Al Fihri

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Turkey

• Seljukid and Ottoman Empires 8C to 19C AD,
  thousands of people created thousands of Waqfs,
  institutions. From Turkey to the Balkans. Murad
  II Town of Ergene
• Bulgaria, Yugoslavia Mostar bridge

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Waqfs

• Mosques
• Education
• Madressas
• Scientific
• Economic
• Student support

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Society Waqfs

• Poor families
• Widows
• Orphans
• Disabled people - blind
• Marriages temporary homes
• Infectious diseases - leprosy

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Public facilities

• water
• buildings
• hospitals
• bridges
• Travelers to Haj
• For animals

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Recent waqf experiences

• Kuwait, Dr Essamit 1200 mosques 500 000 pupils,
  95 000 students, orphans, Quraans, books etc
• USA Islamic Waqf Endownment of N Amer - 191
  real est props worth 70m
• - SAR Charitable institution

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modern terminology

• Public sector
• Private sector
• Civil society initiative
• NGOs
• Empowerment of individuals and communities
• Sustainable development

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Decline of Waqf

• European Colonization
• Morocco transfer of best Waqf lands to French
  colonists without compensation
• Neglect of mosques and schools
• Algeria, Tunisia (-ve balance), Syria, Lebanon
• Post colonial Islamic Governments
• Nationalization and interference
• Mismanagement, neglect, corruption and fraud

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Revival of Waqf concept

• New legal framework
• Management of Waqfs
• Define role of waqf in Socio-economic development
• Revise Classical Fiqh

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New legal framework

• Clear definition of Waqf
• Defines its functions and objectives
• Regulates its social and economic role
• Defines role of Waqf managers
• Legal protection of Waqf properties/assets eg.
  from nationalization, privatization, corruption
  and fraud

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Management of Waqfs

• Complete revision to set objectives
• Need to provide technical, managerial, financing
  support to managers
• Increase efficiency and productivity
• Prevent corruption and fraud
• New style of management managers are not owners
  of waqf assets
• Independence from government and private sector

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Define role of waqf in Socio-economic development

• Promote General and Family Waqfs
• Their role in Socioeconomic dev
• Role of Waqf in Empowerment
• Waqf protection

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Revise Classical Fiqh

• Accommodate new forms of potential waqf that do
  not have precedents in Classical Fiqh
• Waqf of usufruct
• Waqf of non-physical properties
• Expand the concept of Temporary Waqf

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The duty of scholars today

• Mobilization
• Research
• Educate the donors
• Perpetuity
• Usufructs and financial rights

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Jazakallah