From Destruction to Restoration - Islamic Waqfs in Modern Turkey and Malaysia
[Article]
Murat Çizakça
Leiden
Brill
This paper explains how despite the huge distances between them, Malaysia, Turkey, Syria and Algeria share similar problems in their waqf systems. These problems largely arose as a result of colonial powers directly or indirectly imposing legal "reforms" on Islamic endowments. Attempts to restore their systems as well as impediments to the process of restoration in these countries are also identified. This paper explains how despite the huge distances between them, Malaysia, Turkey, Syria and Algeria share similar problems in their waqf systems. These problems largely arose as a result of colonial powers directly or indirectly imposing legal "reforms" on Islamic endowments. Attempts to restore their systems as well as impediments to the process of restoration in these countries are also identified.