FatwaMelakaEndowment (Waqf) & Religious Property
Fatwa Mengenai Penafsiran Hukum Syarak ke Atas Wakaf-Wakaf Yang Tidak Jelas Penyerahannya
How does Islamic law treat waqf whose dedication is unclear or lacks written proof?
Short answer
This Melaka fatwa holds that a waqf is valid when it meets the required pillars and conditions, including an oral waqf where the donor and the property satisfy the conditions.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Melaka State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Fatwa committee decision
- Series
- Warta Fatwa Negeri Melaka
- Topic
- Endowment (Waqf) & Religious Property
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
This Melaka fatwa holds that a waqf is valid when it meets the required pillars and conditions, including an oral waqf where the donor and the property satisfy the conditions. The beneficiary need not prove the dedication, and if the donor has died with no documents, the testimony of trusted witnesses may be accepted. Property long used by local residents across generations as waqf may be treated as a Muslim community waqf, with the claim of local leaders and most residents sufficing. The scope of the property follows the donor's wording, so a waqf of a mosque covers only the mosque building and its site.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Wakaf secara lisan adalah sah sekiranya waqif dan barang yang diwakafkan itu (mawquf) memenuhi syarat-syarat yang ditetapkan oleh hukum syara'.
Read the full fatwa on the Melaka website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Melaka State Mufti Department. “Fatwa Mengenai Penafsiran Hukum Syarak ke Atas Wakaf-Wakaf Yang Tidak Jelas Penyerahannya”, 2 August 2007. https://www.muftimelaka.gov.my/fatwa/fatwa-mengenai-penafsiran-hukum-syarak-ke-atas-wakaf-wakaf-yang-tidak-jelas-penyerahannya. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/ruling-on-waqf-with-unclear-dedication/