Waqf is a concept rooted in Islamic tradition. It refers to a charitable endowment or a form of philanthropy in which an individual or entity donates a specific asset for religious, charitable, or social purposes. Waqf serves various purposes, including political legitimation, social status, and patronage, and it played a crucial role in colonization, urbanization, and settlement in newly conquered areas. It is not highly complicated to run a Waqf in an Islamic country that adapts Islamic legal, social, and cultural framework. It is a question of balancing the preservation of Islamic principles with positive social impact and legal compliance within the specific context of non-Islamic countries. In this paper, I analyze the institution of Waqf using the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to provide insights into the governance, management, and sustainability of these religious and philanthropic institutions. I aim to evaluate the performance of the Waqf institution in terms of its ability to fulfill its charitable and religious objectives over time in non-Islamic contexts, identify any challenges or issues related to the governance and management of Waqf in such contexts, and propose recommendations or interventions that could enhance its governance, sustainability, and impact.
