My Waqf Khutbah The United Ulama Council of South Africa has endorsed the Call made by various Ulama and Awqaf SA to declare the second Jumu ah of Ramadaan as MY WAQF FRIDAY. It is in this light that this Khutbah has been jointly prepared. We implore all Friday Imams to deliver this Khutbah (with your additions and amendments) on Friday 9 th June 2017 ( 14 th Ramadaan 1438) In Collaboration with the United Ulama Council of SA & Awqaf SA Enquiries: info@awqafsa.org.za www.awqafsa.org.za 0834478608 Sh Ighsaan Taliep (UUCSA 0825778311 Ml Yusuf Patel (UUCSA) 0847861409 (Awqaf SA) Zeinoul Abedien Cajee 0822164269 (Awqaf SA) Mickaeel Collier 0829599231 (Awqaf SA) Farouk Limalia
INTRODUCTION : ALHAMDULILLAH, TODAY, THE SECOND JUMUAH OF RAMADAAN, HAS BEEN DECLARED AS MY WAQF FRIDAY OR AS MY WAQF JUMUAH. THE UNITED ULAMA COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA & AWQAF SOUTH AFRICA HAS UNDERTAKEN A NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN TO CREATE AWARENESS ABOUT THE SACRED PROPHETIC INSTITUTION OF WAQF. WAQF IS A SPECIAL KIND OF ISLAMIC CHARITY THAT HAS BEEN OUR LOST HERITAGE DUE TO VARIOUS FACTORS. WHEN MUSLIM LANDS WERE CONQUERED BY COLONIALISTS, MANY WAQF PROPERTIES WERE CONFISCATED, SOLD TO COLONIALISTS, OR USURPED. THUS THE WAQF SYSTEM WENT INTO A DECLINE. THE WAQF SYSTEM PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ALL MUSLIM COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY DURING OUR HISTORY FROM THE TIME OF OUR BELOVED PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW), ANDALUSIA, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE, INDIA. UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS, ROADS, BRIDGES, HOUSING, SCHOLARSHIPS, IMAMS AND MUEZZINS SALARIES & CARE, SCHOOLS, AND MANY MORE WERE ALL FUNDED THROUGH THE WAQF SYSTEM. WAQF IS A SADAQAH JARIYYAH: THIS MEANS THAT IT IS A PERMANENT, RECURRING, ONGOING CHARITY WHICH BENEFITS THE BENEFICIARIES IN PERPETUITY, FOREVER. LET US BEGIN WITH THE HADITH : إ ذ ا م ات ا إ ل إنس ان ا إنق ط ع ع إنه ع م ل ه إ ل م إن ث ل ث ة إ ل م إن ص د ق ة ج ار ي ة أ إو ع إلم يإنت ف ع ب ه أ إو و ل د ص ال ح ي إدعو ل ه Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, When the human being dies, his/her deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity (waqf/ sadaqah jariyyah), beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child/ descendant who prays for his/her deceased parents We are encouraged to do good deeds while we are alive so that our thawaab for those deeds don t end when we pass away but carry on until Qiyamah a real fountain of reward and a real barakah from Allah. When the verse in Surah Al Imraan was revealed> Never shall you attain righteousness unless you spend out of that which you love; and whatever you spend, Allah surely knows it well. (Al-`Imran Chapter 3 : Verse 93)
Many Sahaba (RA) came to our Beloved Prophet (S) and offered their best farms and properties as Sadaqah Jariyyah We have brilliant examples in the farm of Hazrat Umar ibn Al Khattaab (RA) who gave his farm in Khyber as a WAQF on the advice of our noble Prophet (S) who advised: Keep the farm (in other words the date orchards, but may not be sold, gifted, inherited (or bequeathed). The fruits (dates) may be sold for the benefit of the poor, the needy, travellers, mujahideen, and for the benefit of the Ummah. And similar advice was given to another Sahabi Abu Talha (RA) who gave his farm in Medina as WAQF for the benefit of his family, progeny, and relatives on the advice of the Prophet (S). Another example is that of Hazrat Uthman bin Affan (RA) who purchased a Water Well from a Jewish man for the benefit of the community in Medina, and made it free of charge for all. SAAD BIN ZURAARAH SAYS: I DO NOT KNOW IF ANY OF THE SAHAABAH OF RASULULLAH, WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN BADR AMONGST THE MUHAAJIREEN AND ANSAAR, WHO HAD NOT MADE SOME SORT OF WAQF. THEY HAD STIPULATED THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE SOLD, INHERITED OR GIVEN AS A GIFT UNTIL THE DAY OF QIYAAMAH. (AHKAAMUL AAWQAAF PG.8-9) There are several verses in the Holy Quran that exhort us to spend in the way of Allah. Waqf is one way. It is a Gift to Allah. And the rewards a abundant. THE LIKENESS OF THOSE WHO SPEND THEIR WEALTH IN THE WAY OF ALLAH TA ALA, IS AS THE LIKENESS OF A GRAIN (OF CORN); IT GROWS SEVEN EARS, AND EACH EAR HAS A HUNDRED GRAINS. ALLAH TA ALA GIVES MANIFOLD INCREASE TO WHOM HE WILLS AND ALLAH TA ALA IS ALL-SUFFICIENT FOR HIS CREATURE S NEEDS, THE ALL KNOWER. (Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 262) WHO IS IT THAT WILL LEND ALLAH A GOODLY LOAN THAT HE MAY MULTIPLY IT FOR HIM MANIFOLD? AND ALLAH RECEIVES AND ENLARGES, AND TO HIM SHALL YOU BE MADE TO RETURN. Al-Baqarah Chapter 2 : Verse 246
FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED WE DERIVE THAT THE HABIT OF WAQF WAS GENERAL AMONGST THE COMPANIONS OF NABI: SOME HAD MADE WAQF UPON THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND OFFSPRING, WHILE OTHERS HAD MADE WAQF FOR OTHER WORTHY CAUSES. THE COMMANDS OF THE INSTITUTION OF WAQF ARE OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE WHEN WAQF IS EXECUTED, IT NO LONGER REMAINS THE PROPERTY OF THE OWNER. IT BECOMES THE OWNERSHIP OF ALLAH TA ALA. THE WAQF CAN NEVER BE SOLD, GIVEN AS A GIFT OR INHERITED. IT IS PERMISSIBLE TO MAKE AN ASSET WAQF ON ONE S CHILDREN AND OFFSPRING, ON PARENTS, RELATIVES, FRIENDS. And ON SPECIFIED DESERVING GROUPS OF PEOPLE, OR A CAUSE WHICH NEVER TERMINATES. OTHER EXAMPLES: THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF AMAZING WAQFS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE RICH AND THE POOR. Masjids/ Madressahs Schools and Universities Libraries and Researchers Commercial Shopping Centres Apartments and houses Horses (for the army) Old age homes for old horses Homes for orphans and the elderly Water fountains Etc Etc
IN CONCLUSION: THE CULTURE OF WAQF GIVING & MAKING Today there is a world wide reawakening and revitalisation of the WAQF SYSTEM AND THE REVIVAL OF THE SUNNAH. SOUTH AFRICA IS NOT EXCLUDED. Yes, South Africans, and generally all Muslim communities have been contributing to our amazing infrastructure of masjids and madressahs. But where is our Mega Community Waqf Fund? Where is the Sovereign Fund of the Muslim Ummah? Where are the Income generating Commercial Centres that the Community owns as Waqf These too are important for the long term sustainability of our institutions and projects that are needed in our communities especially as we are aware of the many challenges facing us as a global and local ummah. So we are appealing to all Muslims to make a concerted effort to make waqf contributions also for investment purposes that will benefit our poor and needy (not only amongst Muslims but also our neighbours and broader communities) with whom we interact on a daily basis. We must take the MY WAQF CAMPAIGN to every Muslim individual, family, business, and institution as a duty on each one of us. We will be equally rewarded for every person that makes a waqf no matter how small or big. Each one of us has the opportunity. Give waqf as gifts to family and friends, especially on special occasions such as eid, birthdays, and weddings. Contribute to Waqf Funds for our institutions and community projects. Establish waqfs through our wills also. Lets make South Africa a haven of Waqfs as was done in our glorious Islamic Civilisation. Inshallah. Barakallhufeekum. May Allah help us and bless us all in this noble effort.