Peran Lembaga wakaf dalam meningkatkan kesejahteraan sosial masyarakat

Abstract

Waqf is the transfer of privately owned assets to be utilized for public interest without diminishing the integrity of the original property. Etymologically, waqf means “to withhold,” while terminologically, various schools of Islamic jurisprudence offer different definitions but generally agree that waqf aims to provide continuous benefits to society. In modern development, waqf is not limited to land and buildings but also includes productive assets, cash waqf, educational waqf, health waqf, and humanitarian waqf. Social changes require waqf management to be carried out professionally through waqf institutions capable of developing assets and ensuring the proper distribution of benefits. Modern waqf management includes conservative, productive, and financial-instrument-based models to enhance its value and impact. Overall, waqf plays a strategic role in promoting social welfare through the provision of education, healthcare services, economic empowerment, poverty alleviation, and the strengthening of social solidarity. Therefore, examining the role of waqf institutions is essential to understand their contribution to social development and sustainable communal well-being.