A Reading of the Experience
Somalia[i] was one of the countries that lived under European colonialism. It is a 100% Muslim nation, and in 1960, the Somali people gained their freedom. However, before independence, the majority of Somalis lived in rural areas—around 90%—while only about 10% resided in cities. Some rural inhabitants would dedicate some of their livestock for the benefit of scholars, the poor, and orphans, whereas urban dwellers would endow real estate for their children and descendants. The endower would act as the trustee of their endowment, and after their death, guardianship would be assigned to whomever they chose. A dedicated office supervised these endowments under the courts’ oversight[ii]. Most of Somalia’s land consisted of waqf properties, and there were many mosques. The first mosque built in Somalia dates back to the 5th century Hijri (450 AH), meaning it was constructed nearly a thousand years ago and still stands today, with prayers being held in it. More than fifty years later, another mosque was built, known as the “Arba’a Rukun Mosque,” one of the oldest mosques in the capital Mogadishu, constructed around 667 AH. Mogadishu alone has approximately 3,000 mosques[iii].
When Italian colonial forces entered Somalia in 1889, Italy seized most of these waqf lands and built a large church near Mogadishu. Today, Italy or the Catholic Church spends around half a million to a million dollars on its restoration[iv]. The Somali government established a special department for endowments and religious affairs within the Ministry of Justice, along with a separate department for mosque affairs. The responsibility for managing the waqf sector was assigned to the director of endowments in this ministry, which works to implement Islamic Sharia rulings while respecting the conditions set by endowers[v].
Management of Waqf Assets
Most waqf assets in Somalia consist of mosques, which have associated endowments such as commercial shops, agricultural lands, orchards, and more[vi]. Somali society was predominantly pastoral, with most people living in rural areas. For this reason, some endowments in Somalia took the form of livestock and related assets, as rural communities were known for their charitable contributions to the needy. There are also investment-based endowments, including agricultural and livestock investments. However, these endowments require experts and a large workforce. Most commercial shops, rental homes, and undeveloped construction lands remain unbuilt. Somalia also has vast agricultural lands that are unused due to a lack of necessary resources, leading to insufficient waqf revenues to meet the essential needs of endowments and their workers. Additionally, Somalia has health-related endowments, such as hospitals, managed by charitable organizations—for example, Mogadishu University and the Direct Aid Society, among others[vii].
There are around 14 orphanages in Somalia, located in Mogadishu and other provinces under the Ministry of Justice, serving over ten thousand orphans. Their care is shared between the Ministry of Justice and the “Help Yourself” project[viii].
The Somali Ministry of Justice has achieved several on-the-ground projects, including Mogadishu University, established in 1997 as a non-governmental, non-profit institution serving higher education in Somalia.
Another project is the Zamzam Charity Foundation, founded in 1992 as a relief organization providing educational and health services to various segments of Somali society, with its headquarters in Mogadishu[ix].
Prospects for the Experience
Waqf institutions in Somalia face numerous challenges, the most prominent being public ignorance about the importance of Islamic endowments and the lack of awareness programs. There is also an absence of precise governance in existing waqf institutions, such as mosques. Additionally, the government does not prioritize public endowments[x].
In conclusion, Somalia possesses significant potential for investing in its waqf properties, but it requires funding. The Ministry of Justice’s budget does not allow for this, so the ministry must work to strengthen its relations with other countries’ ministries to secure financing and investment for the Somali waqf sector.
Copyright and Usage Notice:
All rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of any part of this report by photographic, electronic, or any other means of publication requires proper citation as follows: Strategic Waqf Report, Third Edition, International Institute of Islamic Waqf, 2025. The text may not be altered in any way, and no commercial use is permitted.