WHAT is waqf? According to Islamic scholars, wakaf means holding the zat of property and use its benefits in Allah's way. The zat of the property refers to something that can be benefited by defending the property, that is, the property is not exhausted after its benefit.

For example, buildings, trees, land, and cars while the property that consumed its zat after use is referred to as sedekah, instead of waqf. Waqf is also different from the hibah because the hibah means the granting of property, whereas waqf is merely the gift or benefit of the property.

Waqf can be divided into two types namely wakaf khas and wakaf am. Waqf khas means the provision of property indefinitely for the use of the required benefits in Islam against the individual or matter determined by the pewakaf. In contrast to the waqf khas, the use of waqf am is for the purpose of the general benefits required by Islam. The recipients of wakaf can be either Muslims or non-Muslims.

Waqf is a practice that is strongly encouraged in Islam and has been practiced since the time of asulullah SAW again. The reward for those who spend their wealth is very large as stated in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 261 which means: "Comparisons (donations) of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, are the same as a seed that grows to produce seven stems; each of the stems contains a hundred seeds. And Allah will multiply the wage for whom He wills, and Allah is full of bounty, encompassing His knowledge. "

In addition to the Qur'anic verses, the advantages of waqf practice are also expressed in the hadith of Prophet Muhammad SAW. From Abu Hurairah r.a said that the Prophet Muhammad SAW said: "When the son of Adam died, the practice was broken except for three things: charity, knowledge used to others and the prayers of the righteous son." (Hadith Riwayat Muslim)

The meaning of sedekah jariah in the above hadith refers to the concept of waqf. With waqf, as long as the benefits of the waqf are used, then the jariah will not break even if one has died. This shows that beneficial wakaf practice is not only for the use of the world but also the hereafter.

Waqf is not only a practice in Malaysia, it has even been practiced in a Western country known as endowment term synonymous with waqf education. Educational waqf is a strategy to advance the education level of a country while helping students who are not able to pursue their studies.

For example, the Al-Azhar University, originally a madrasah, has become a waqf university that helps many students not only from Egypt, even from all over the world. In addition to West Asian countries, educational waqf is also a practice in Western countries. For example, Birmingham University in the United Kingdom and University of Pennsylvania library in the United States.

In addition to the waqf education in terms of endowment, Islamic Relief, an organization in the United Kingdom, has also created a range of cash waqf products to assist the world community. Cash awards mean that individuals pay cash to a waqf trustee institution. The money is then converted into permanent property and the benefits of the cash waqf are used for the development of the ummah.

The idea of ​​cash waqf is triggered when traditional waqf involves the granting of permanent assets such as buildings and land causing only individuals who have many properties only qualify for the bachelor. However, cash wakaf provides opportunities for non-millionaires but aspires to donate their dreams.

Among the innovations of Islamic Relief cash waqf products are education waqf, health and nutritional waqf, waqf korban, water and sanitation waqf, orphan waqf welfare and emergency waqf. For example, in 2009, the benefits of Islamic Relief cash waqf were used to build four eye clinics in Pakistan where they had provided surgical services, early checks and follow-up visits to patients.

For waqf korban, Islamic Relief will use the benefits of waqf for the purpose of sacrifice and the sacrificial meat will be distributed to the fakir and poor. The wakaf products introduced by Islamic Relief can be one of the new products in Malaysia in the pursuit of diversifying cash waqf products.

In Malaysia, states that are actively involved in cash waqf activities are Johor and Selangor. Among the cash wakaf introduced by both states are waqf stocks, gold waqf and takaful waqf. Waqf stocks encourage the community to be wary of not limiting the amount of waqf even to be waqf with amount as low as RM10.

There are various ways we can implement cash waqf. Among them is through a monthly salary deduction scheme. We can also waqf through online, auto debit through banking institutions, using postage or cash payment at selected institutional counter such as Pejabat Yayasan Waqaf Malaysia, Perbadanan Wakaf Selangor, Unit Wakaf Johor, Bank Simpanan Nasional dan Bank Muamalat.

With the existence of cash waqf as well as the facilities for waqf, then there is no reason for us to say that we are not capable of waqf. Come on let's fertilize consciousness in the minds of ourselves, children, family and friends to be waqf for the well-being of the ummah in the world and our own well-being in the hereafter.

© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

Date of Input: 01/10/2018 | Updated: 18/01/2021 | m.jazmi