“ For centuries, waqfs (s: waqf pl: awqaf / endowments or foundations) were a crucial part of the political, economic, and social history of the Arab and Muslim world. As service providing institutions, waqfs were a major source of education, heath care, and employment. As urban landmarks, they shaped the city and contributed to the upkeep of religious edifices” (Pascale Ghazaleh in Held in Trust: Waqf in the Islamic World, Cairo, p1)
