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History of the Islamic Endowment
Endowment of the first era(Companions Era)
Earlier endowments in the era of Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, and companions may Allah please them,. We mention the following:
• The Prophet, may peace be upon him, endowed the mosque of Quubaa' when He came as immigrant to Madina.
• The Prophet, peace be upon him, endowed seven (gardens) belonged to a Jew in Madina.
• Omar Bin Al Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, endowed his land in Khyber.
• Othman, may Allah be pleased with him, endowed the well of Roomah.
• Abu Talha, may Allah be pleased with him, endowed his garden (Bayruhaa').
Then, after that, the endowments the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, came one after another.
Endowment in the Umayyad Age
• Endowments increased due to the Islamic conquests, which reached the outskirts of China in the east, and the borders of France in the west.
• A special department was established to oversee the endowments in the time of Hisham bin Abdulmalik.
• Department of Endowments was directly supervised by the Judicial, which was independent of the Executive Authority.
Endowment in the Abbasid Age
• Expansion increased in the establishment of endowment, and who was running it was called (the endowment lead)
• Endowment department had been an independent civil Foundation of the offices of the Sultans.
• Banks of endowment revenues expanded to include the civil endowment such as hospitals, libraries, and educational institutes and other areas.
• Banks of endowment revenues included the various aspects of life like endowments to take care of animals, repair of the dishes, and other strange things.
Endowment in the Mamluks Age
• Endowment expanded and remarkably increased in the Mamluks age.
• Three offices were established for the management and supervision of the Endowments:
- Office of the Mosques Endowment
- Office of the Two Holy Mosques Endowment and the different Sources of Charity
- Office of Civil Endowments
Endowment in the Ottoman Age
• The Ottoman Sultans remarkably took care of endowment especially by Beni Ottoman women.
• Banks of endowment revenues expanded to include the faculties of medicine and medical services to hospitals, to keep pace with the development and scientific advancement in the current time.
Endowment at the Present Time
Many Islamic countries have given attention to endowments at the present time in various areas.
• Care for endowments has emerged in Saudi Arabia, where apparently established a special Ministry of endowments affairs, to manage its affairs in a "Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Advocacy and Guidance"
• Many Islamic countries have also established, special ministries of Endowments or special departments dealing with Endowments affairs.
• The charitable endowment institutions significantly increased today.
Models and Prides of the Islamic Endowment in the Field of Education
1. The regular school that was established 459 h. in Baghdad, and a keeper and supervisors were appointed, and a library was set up, much money was endowed by the Royal Regime for the teaching of many students, and for the purchase of valuable books from the resources of these endowments.
2. Baghdad's Mustansiriya School established in 623 h. and complemented 631 h... It was established by the Abbasid Caliph AlMuntasser Billah. Ibin Katheer said: (no school built in the world like it, and stood at four schools, and it has a sheikh (Scholar) of Medicine, and ten Muslims working knowledge of medicine, and an Office of the orphans, and great endowments allocated to it, so it was said that the price of hay yields sufficient revenues for a school with its people, and the most precious books unique in the world were endowed. Thus this school was the beauty of Baghdad and the rest of the world) briefly quoted.
3. Albashiriyah school library, established by the wife of the Abbasid Caliph al-Almustasim Billah, was opened in 654 h. She endowed books and money. Books were borrowed outside the campus versus a mortgage to maintain and ensure the return of books, as had been done in other school libraries.
4. Al Dhahiriyah School, established by Al Dhahir Baibars in Damascus in 662 h., and endowed it with endowment, and allocated funds, and had allocated a huge library containing all sciences.
5. Mansourieh school in Egypt, established by Al Mansour bin Qalawoon 683 h. It was specialized in the teaching of Medicine of first class. It was endowed along with the Mansourieh Dome, which is an astronomical observatory with wide range of shops and arable land.
6. Aldnaisariyah school, established by Dr. Emad Eddin Mohamed Bin Abbas Al Rabiy Aldnaisari in 686 h., and it was endowed to medical education and graduation of doctors.
7. Sultan Qaitbay School in Makka opened in 884 h. It contained 72 teaching rooms/halls. It was endowed many endowments. Qutbuddin Al Hanafi was one of those who took the responsibility of its management, and author of the book: Information about the Figures of Sacred House of God.
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