For the last 1400 years, the Islamic philanthropic device known as Waqf, permits settlement in perpetuity of property (movable and immovable, including money in cash) for religious and charitable purposes and helping the poor, both Muslims and non – Muslims. A very large number of awqaf have been created all over the world for the preservation of religious and charitable institutions and for the educational and economic development of the community. Thus awqaf have become a valuable asset of the Muslim community all over the world.

Awqaf must be governed properly and their assets should be managed professionally. However, unfortunately, majority of awqaf have been the victim of neglect, mismanagement and misappropriation. It is either due to weak legal infra-structure which regulates them or it is because of ill-planning and defective management. Therefore, a proper legal infrastructure and professional management techniques appear as essential pre-requisites for the revitalization of awqaf.

None of the awqaf conferences held during recent years (Harvard – 2006, 2008; South Africa – 2007; Singapore – 2008; Kuwait – 2008; Iran – 2008) concentrated on either law or management. Their themes ranged from origin to nationalization and from investment to civilizational aspects. All of these are important, but so also the legal and management aspects of waqf, which are equally important and of fundamental significance. The proposed conference tries to fill this gap by making legal regulation and management strategies of waqf as the theme of the conference.

The conference will bring together experts in waqf laws and management from Muslim and Muslim minority countries to help formulate effective legal measures and sound management policies for an effective waqf management.