Give once, grow forever

Waqf is a permanent endowment; when you declare Waqf over an asset, it is thereafter no longer sold and spent, gifted, or inherited. The asset is instead retained within the Waqf and any income generated by the asset can be used to donate towards charitable or other causes.

iWaqf Charitable Trust is an independently run UK registered charity (RCN: 1190896). Whilst Waqf in general can be both of a personal or charitable nature, by donating to iWaqf Charitable Trust via the Wahed app you are contributing to a permanent endowment which is entirely charitable. The reward for ongoing, self-sustaining Waqf of this form is potentially limitless.

The word Waqf (pl. Awqaf) means to stop, confine, or restrict. The hadith literature uses various terms for the concept of Waqf such as ‘habs’ which also have come to refer to the same concept of Waqf.

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged his Companions to establish their own Waqf. As a result, Waqf was an integral part of the financial system of Islam right from the outset and continued to grow over the next thousand years.

There are two forms of Waqf, (1) perpetual and (2) temporary. A perpetual Waqf, if managed correctly, can in theory go on without end, for example, there is a Waqf still in existence from the time of the Prophet ﷺ. A temporary Waqf will be able to provide for its beneficiaries for as long as the time limit of the Waqf does not expire. Once this time limit (usually some years) is reached  the Waqf’s assets will return to the ownership of the initial donor. 

A Waqf is a permanent endowment such as buildings, land, and other assets that can be used continuously for charitable or religious purposes. Zakat is a mandatory portion of your savings that has to be given in accordance with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, donating to a Waqf is not mandatory. Sadaqah is considered a general charity and donating to your Waqf can be considered a specific form of ‘Sadaqah’. Waqf is not compulsory in Islam, but it offers ongoing rewards to the donor.

It is estimated that between 30-70% of the property and land in different Muslim regions was at one time owned in the form of Waqf. The institution of Waqf funded everything from roads, schools, and masjids to some of the first hospitals and early universities (a model later copied by the likes of Oxford and Cambridge Universities).

This is partly a result of the decline and dissolution of much of the historical Waqf during the 19th and early 20th centuries and partly because there has not, until now, been an easy and comprehensive way for individuals to donate to Waqf. In the UK, iWaqf Charitable Trust provides an opportunity to revive the institution of Waqf.

The Waqf model means that it is ideally suited for financing long-term sustainable growth projects. This is not limited to charitable causes but could also include business ventures, educational projects, and scientific ventures, amongst other things. All of these initiatives could benefit from the funding which would be available if Waqf were to once again become widespread. By enabling individuals to donate to Waqf, we believe that we can re-establish this now-lost Sunnah aspect of Waqf.

The Prophet ﷺ generally recommended the practice of regular and continuous good actions as opposed to one-off acts of kindness, as regular actions provide the greatest benefit to both the one doing the action and the one receiving the benefit of the deed. Unlike one-off donations, which end once the resource, good or service has been used up, ongoing charity has this attribute and is one of the three actions which the Prophet ﷺ explained in a famous hadith continues after a person’s death. 

“When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end, except three: Ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who will pray for him.” Hadith | Sahih Muslim. 

Waqf is the best form of ongoing charity, because it is designed not only to continue regularly over time, but to actually increase over time. This is achieved by investing the initial donation rather than spending it, which allows the Waqf to potentially grow over time and the profits which are generated from those invested donations are used towards the charitable aims of the Waqf.

iWaqf Charitable Trust’s board of trustees are responsible for managing the Waqf.The board of trustees have adopted an Investment Policy that governs the way iWaqf Charitable Trust’s assets will be invested. The core principles of  iWaqf’s Investment Policy are preservation of asset value and ensuring long-term growth and the overall aim is to ensure safe investment with good returns in a sustainable way.  iWaqf Charitable Trust’s board of trustees seek to ensure that endowed donations continue for long after the donees’ lifetime and benefit future generations. 

iWaqf Charitable Trust is proudly one of the first to establish a UK focussed Waqf. Additionally, the Sunnah is to focus your charity efforts in your local community. 

iWaqf Charitable Trust will only make charitable distributions to select projects subject to its grant making policy which is designed to ensure that all projects that apply for support are vetted and pass its due diligence criteria. The board of trustees will assess proposed projects with a view to achieving maximum impact and long-term sustainable change. 

You can only donate in cash via the Wahed App or via the iWaqf Charitable Trust website. 

iWaqf Charitable Trust have made donating to your Waqf easily accessible through  the easy-to-use Wahed app. You can begin your journey as a donor and see the growth and impact of your Waqf at any time by clicking the Waqf tree in the top-right hand corner of your dashboard on the Wahed app.  Your Waqf donation is amalgamated with other donees’ charitable donations to form part of iWaqf Charitable Trust’s overall portfolio of assets. Think of your donations to the Waqf as a single tree within an Orchard which is iWaqf Charitable Trust!

No, anyone can contribute towards a Waqf. With iWaqf Charitable Trust, you can choose the exact amount you would like to donate as Waqf using the Wahed app and add to it at any time in future. The companion of the Prophet (ﷺ), Jabir Ibn Abdullah said: “Every Companion who had the capacity, established a Waqf.” (al-Mughni by Ibn Qudama).  By donating to iWaqf Charitable Trust you effectively become part of a Waqf movement designed to benefit the UK  Muslim Community. 

Waqf has in the past, and can now once again, be created for a wide range of causes or needs. For example, Awqaf were created to replace broken utensils and to provide grazing land for old animals. iWaqf Charitable Trust allows you to donate to the following core causes: Financial Hardship, Food Poverty, Sponsor Community and Education and Most Needed. Donating to iWaqf Charitable Trust will provide long-term sustainable charitable funding which can be used to promote real growth and progress for the UK Muslim Community. 

iWaqf Charitable Trust will distribute profits from its investments as and when there are sufficient funds to allocate. You will be updated regularly on the activities of iWaqf Charitable Trust via the Wahed app.

Under Islamic law, the Waqf and the assets (such as property, gold, and cash) that comprise it, are treated separately from the individual who gifted the assets (known as the Waqif). This means that  the Waqf assets are no longer a part of the Waqif’s estate and would not be inherited by their family, according to the Islamic rules of inheritance. By donating to iWaqf Charitable Trust you are making a charitable donation which will be contributing towards a long-term self-sustaining source of funding for charitable projects inshaAllah. 

Zakat can only be given to the categories Allah ﷺ has mentioned specifically in the Quran (Surah Tawbah | Verse 60) and donating to a Waqf is NOT considered to be Zakat eligible.

Traditionally Waqf donations included buildings or land that were handed over to the relevant Waqf authority to benefit the public, such as universities and schools. The  iWaqf Charitable Trust model allows you to donate in cash. Your cash donation is then pooled together with cash donations from other donors and used to invest in Shariah compliant assets. The income generated from these investments is thereafter distributed to the causes according to iWaqf Charitable Trust’s grant making policy.

No, once you make a charitable donation, the donated funds are no longer yours and belong to iWaqf Charitable Trust.

Yes, in the Wahed app, you will be presented with several categories of charitable causes and you will be able to choose how much of your donation you would like to allocate to each particular cause. However, the final decision as to the causes is made by iWaqf Charitable Trust’s board of trustees and their aim is to adhere to the wishes of the donors.

Wahed Invest Ltd will not earn any commission or equivalent fee(s) for processing your donation or any other hidden fees. iWaqf Charitable Trust being an independent charity, has no obligation to invest any or all of its assets through Wahed Invest Ltd. The trustees of iWaqf Charitable Trust’s have full discretion to select and appoint an investment manager of their choice to manage iWaqf Charitable Trust’s assets in order to help it achieve its charitable objectives.

No, in accordance with its Investment Policy, all of its charitable assets will be invested in Shari'ah compliant investments only.

Your donations are received directly by iWaqf Charitable Trust as soon as you make them. iWaqf Charitable Trust aims to make your Waqf donations grow and last forever, which means that your contributions to iWaqf Charitable Trust and the charitable giving that derives from them will continue to benefit the causes in perpetuity till the end of time itself. It is therefore one of the only forms of charity that continues to benefit you after death.

The companion Uthman ibn Affan (رضي الله عنه) was promised Jannah by the Prophet ﷺ for his donation of a well by way of Waqf to the people of Madinah. Ever since that donation over 1400 years ago, the Waqf of Uthman has been growing - today it is worth tens of billions of pounds and generates vast incomes each year for charitable causes.

The unique feature of a Waqf is that once donated, no one person will ever own the donated funds or the profits generated through their investment. In fact, in Islam it is the belief that this is returned to Allah. Your donated funds will be managed by iWaqf Charitable Trust to ensure they are invested and the profits generated are utilised solely for the charitable aims of iWaqf Charitable Trust.

It is the responsibility of the board of trustees to implement iWaqf Charitable Trust’s Investment Policy. This will ensure the longevity of the donated assets and will comprise low risk investments that have a track record of safe returns. iWaqf Charitable Trust will work to minimize through its Investment Policy and by appointed investment manager(s).

At this time the annual yield will be withdrawn and given to charitable causes. iWaqf Charitable Trust’s board of trustees estimate that this will be 3-5% of the Waqf’s total assets but this figure may fluctuate in future.

The charitable donations will be invested in accordance with its Investment Policy rather than spent and the profits generated will be utilised for charitable causes.

iWaqf Charitable Trust is accountable to and regulated by the Charity Commission, and must therefore abide by the laws and regulations applicable to UK regulated charities.

The trustees of iWaqf Charitable Trust(Charity No 1190896) are as outlined on the official website of the Charity Commission. More detailed information can be found on the website of the Commission (https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information).

Yes, its registered charity number is 1190896.