Frequently Asked Questions
Simply choose one of the following options:
- Online: visit our How to Donate section
- Phone: call your local International Waqf Fund office***
- Cheque: send your cheque to your local International Waqf Fund ***
A Waqf share costs £150 GBP however we do accept smaller donations. A donation of less than the fixed amounts stated will not count as a share – instead, it will go into a pool of money called the Waqf Support Fund. This helps to support the entire Waqf programme.
We charge 10% admin costs on all donations. The remainder 90% is invested.
Never. The Waqf Capital investment is Sharia compliant.
Waqf is not compulsory in Islam, but it offers many rewards to the donor. Therefore, It is a donation that cannot be owned by anyone, ensuring that benefits are ongoing.
Zakah (also spelled Zakat) is one of the five pillars of Islam and is compulsory for all adult, debt-free Muslims. Islam requires all who qualify to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth to Zakah, provided that their wealth exceeds the Nisab. Most Islamic scholars agree that Zakah money cannot be donated to Waqf.
Wasiyya – Islamic Sharia requires a deceased Muslim to leave two thirds of their wealth to heirs. However, Wasiyya allows you to leave up to one third to non-heirs and charities. The money can be left to anyone, provided that the purpose is Sharia-compliant. Moreover, that it does not put natural heirs into poverty. It is possible to dedicate this one third to this Waqf programme.
Sadaqah includes all donations other than Zakah made for the sake of God and is highly-recommended in Islam. If this Sadaqah is ongoing then it is called Sadaqah Jariyah – which continues to bring benefits to people, animals or the environment. Waqf is in itself a type of Sadaqah Jariyah.
The Quran and Sunnah clearly urge Muslims to spend some of their money to support vulnerable people and improve the community. The term ‘Waqf’ is not mentioned literally in the Holy Quran. However, there are some verses on matters regarding charity which carry the essence of Waqf:
“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is as the likeness of a grain which growth seven branches, in every branch contains of hundred seeds, and (remember) Allah will give increase manifold to which he will and Allah is All-Embracing and All-Knowing.” (Al Baqarah, 2:261)
According to Ibn Umar (rA), the Prophet (pbuh) first encouraged the concept of Waqf when Umar (rA) asked the Prophet “Allah’s Messenger, I have acquired land in Khaibar. I have never acquired more valuable for me than this, so what do you command me to do with it?”
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “If you like, you may give the benefit to charity whilst preserving it, so that it can no longer be bought, nor be sold, nor may it be possible to give it away or bequeath it.”
Umar endowed the land as Waqf to the benefit of the community, and declared that the property must not be sold, inherited or given away as a gift. (Sahih Muslim)
There is no limit to how much you donate to Waqf. Some donors already have as many as 200 shares.
You can share your Waqf with anybody who fulfils the donor’s criteria
A Waqf share is an ideal gift for anyone as it brings benefits in this world and in the hereafter, insha’Allah.
It is also possible to make a special gift on behalf of a loved one that has passed away. The Waqf deed will carry the donor’s name, as the person who has bought the Waqf share, and also the name of the person to whom the share is dedicated.
Waqf donors receive a report every year detailing the performance of Waqf shares. You can choose to opt-out of receiving a report.
Once you have made the Waqf payment in full, you will receive a receipt for the total and a Waqf deed certificate.
No, but you will receive a Waqf Deed for each sector you invest in. For example, if you invest in one share for Orphan and Childcare Waqf and two in General Waqf, then you’ll receive two Waqf deeds, one for each sector stating the number of shares you have in each sector.
Yes, you can decide which sector your return on investment is spent. However, our team of experts determine which country will host that Waqf sector every year, and where your money can make the greatest impact. Generally speaking, a Waqf donor has the right to decide the sector in which they want their donation to be used.
General Waqf is used to fund worthy projects that are underfunded. We encourage you to donate to this fund because it offers help to the people who need assistance most. The returns from General Waqf will be spent on projects in the other seven sectors; orphans, water, education etc. This will allow the donor to contribute to all areas of help.
One of the conditions of making a Waqf is that it has to be ongoing. For this reason you cannot recall your donation because it may invalidate your Waqf. If you wish to make a different sort of donation, please see our website.
Some Islamic scholars say that once you have a Qurbani Waqf share, you do not have to perform another Qurbani every lunar year. Some other Islamic scholars however state that buying Qurbani Waqf shares does not absolve a donor from performing the annual religious duty of Qurbani.
International Waqf Fund currently delivers projects fighting poverty and suffering in over 30 countries worldwide.
Our Waqf fund offers a variety of benefits to donors. We provide a secure investment as well as an efficient and effective system. In addition, the variety of projects that we run worldwide gives donors the opportunity to participate into different sectors in different countries, every year. We use our experience and expertise to deliver high quality projects that secure maximum positive impact in transforming the lives of some of the world’s poorest people, year after year till the hereafter, insha’Allah.
Each donation we receive is monitored so that it is only spent in the way the donor intended it. This may be on a specific project, in a particular country or supporting one of the sectors we work in.
All International Waqf Fund’s accounts are externally audited. As a registered charity, our finances are checked by the UK Charities Commission and also by our various donor agencies on a regular basis.
Internally, we are committed to strict accounting procedures and all income and expenditure is tightly controlled to safeguard against any misuse of funds. Full financial reports from our implementing offices are checked quarterly by our International Office, in Birmingham, UK.
