Ottoman Waqf Law Working Group

The Ottoman Waqf (Endowment) Law Working Group is an academic community that examines the institution of the waqf, which is rooted in the Islamic legal tradition and continues to be practiced today, with a central focus on contemporary issues. The group addresses the challenges faced by waqfs inherited from the Ottoman era to the present day, in light of modern law, Islamic law, and Ottoman legal practices.

Beyond theoretical discussions, the focus of the working group is to identify practical problems in the field and to develop applicable solution proposals. To this end, the group investigates living issues—such as the administration of waqfs, the utilization of waqf revenues, and current disputes regarding the descendants of the founder (waqif)—by jointly evaluating the principles of classical waqf law alongside contemporary legal regulations. Thus, the working group aims to seek answers to questions concerning the modern-day reflections of Ottoman waqf law from both a historical and a practice-oriented perspective.