It’s well known that Arab philanthropy is inspired by the region’s religious and spiritual traditions. Rooted in local societies, Christian and Islamic charity have adopted various ad hoc mechanisms and institutional forms for giving, depending on the goals and population in question.
Historically, endowment (called waqf in Arabic) was one of the most common institutional forms of religious-based charity. For centuries, they have significantly contributed to the flourishing of Islamic civilization in the region, before they deteriorated due to internal corruption and external undermining first by foreign colonialists and later from some national regimes.
Yet recently, endowments are being revived with a considerable revamp of their governance and goals to secure a sustainable fund for modern Arab philanthropic foundations and civil society organisations. What is the future of this mode of giving, why is it well-suited to Arab giving, what are the changes in the way it is practised now, and what are the challenges?
Why, what and who
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