An Overview of the Experience
The history and management of waqf (endowment) in Syria date back to the Umayyad era when Damascus was the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. The culture of waqf became deeply rooted, to the extent that Ibn Battuta (779 AH/1377 CE)—centuries after the fall of the Umayyads—remarked during his travels in Damascus that dozens of primary and university-level schools were funded by waqf assets, and that the endowed funds abundantly supported their students.
This indicates the widespread and surplus endowments across Syria. This scene was further reinforced during Ottoman rule, which lasted for centuries. However, when the French colonizers arrived, they placed Syrian waqfs under public surveillance and attached them to the French High Commission. A report issued in 1867 by the French Embassy in Istanbul to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris included a translation of the Ottoman Waqf Law, issued on 7 Safar 1248 AH (1832 CE). The report concluded by emphasizing that the law was “a desirable step, a decisive move toward the assassination and disappearance of waqf, thus serving French interests.”
During the occupation of Syria, waqfs were partially reorganized and regulated through decisions by the Supreme Council of Islamic Endowments, ratified under Resolution No. 752 on March 2, 1921.
In 1930, the Waqf Directorate was transferred from the French High Commission to the presidency of the government. Many Syrian economists noted that by 1934, over 4,000 waqfs had been recorded in Syria, with their real estate representing a vast fortune estimated at 500 million francs, all under government administration.
As for laws and legislation concerning waqf, they were issued early on, starting in 1926 up to 1949, and then in 1958, but they did not lead to any real development in waqf performance. The Waqf Law issued on June 11, 1949, under the government of Husni al-Za’im, can be considered the “greatest waqf setback in Syria.” The law stipulated that the government would distribute waqf revenues based on its own discretion rather than the conditions set by the endowers. This legislation was the first factor that destabilized the waqf system in Syria since the Umayyad era.
In 1961, a decree was issued to establish the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) in the Syrian Arab Republic, assigning it the management and supervision of waqfs, their maintenance, Islamic affairs, mosque construction, the training of scholars and preachers, and the establishment of charitable institutions. The decree stated in its first article: “Islamic endowments in the Syrian Republic are the property of Muslims, and the Ministry of Awqaf is responsible for managing and supervising their affairs.”
In reality, private waqfs, which were managed by families and institutions, were effectively abolished when the Ministry of Awqaf took over their supervision. A study on the waqfs of Damascus between 1160-1180 AH (1747-1766 CE) revealed 23,000 endowment deeds, showing that over 80% were family waqfs (dhurri). Unfortunately, these were dismantled due to laws and the ministry’s control over all charitable and private endowments.
Management of Waqf Assets
Syria’s experience in waqf management during the observed period (1996–2021) has been very poor for several objective reasons, most notably:
– Weak waqf legislation
– State control over waqf resources
– Lack of governance and transparency in waqf management over past decades
– The impact of the internal crisis since 2011, which negatively affected waqf assets as religious endowments, like other civil society resources, became targets.
There is no precise statistic on the number of properties owned by the Ministry of Awqaf today, so available information is approximate and does not accurately reflect Syria’s waqf reality due to lack of disclosure.
According to some approximate studies:
– Current waqf revenues amount to around $8 million.
– The number of mosques in Syria is 15,000.
– Waqf-owned lands total approximately 170,000 dunams.
The most common investment model is the Hikr (long-term lease) system, where waqf properties are leased to individuals under 99-year contracts in exchange for a nominal annual rent. This outdated model is an exception rather than the norm in modern waqf investment practices.
Among notable waqf models is the Al-Afiyah Fund (1997), which provides medical assistance. It has served nearly 4,000 patients, with expenditures exceeding 90 million Syrian pounds (approx. $36,000). A similar fund exists in Aleppo.
Future Prospects of the Experience
The key challenges facing Syria’s waqf system include:
- Restrictive laws that hinder waqf development since the ministry’s establishment.
- State control over charitable waqfs, reducing public engagement with the waqf system.
- Lack of oversight, despite the existence of an Internal Audit Directorate within the ministry.
- Encroachment on waqf properties and loss of endowment documents.
- Weak administrative and financial accountability for waqf officials and property users.
- Overemphasis on mosque endowments, limiting broader waqf development and optimal investment.
The Syrian crisis (2011) exacerbated these issues, causing near-total disruption to the waqf sector, destruction of infrastructure, and severe inflation that rendered waqf revenues nearly worthless—a situation that may persist for years.
Conclusion
Syria’s waqf system, once flourishing, has suffered due to state control, weak legislation, and conflict. Without reforms in governance, transparency, and legal frameworks, the potential of waqf as a tool for social and economic development will remain unrealized.
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