International Centre for Waqf Research (ICWR) has been established in Malaysia. This venture is the result of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) and Malay Chamber of Commerce on 21st November, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur. It aspires to become a world class research centre to conduct research on waqf.
ICWR will organise regular seminars and conferences on current developments in Muslim endowment (waqf), waqf laws, management, development and regulation. It will further underline the need to conduct a systematic survey of waqf properties in the Muslim world, to suggest a model legal framework for this purpose, and to formulate strategies to utilise funds generated through wakf development for the socio-economic betterment of Muslim communities all over the world. It will also collaborate with national and international bodies engaged in research on Islamic issues relevant to waqf.
The executive team of ICWR comprises Prof. Dr. Syed Khalid Rashid (Director), Associate Prof. Dr. Sharifa Zubaidah binti Abdul Kader Aljunid (Deputy Director), Associate Professor Dr. Muhammad Abdurrahman Sadique (Research Consultant), Associate Prof. Dr. Nor Asiah Mohamad (Research Consultant) and Dr. Umar A Oseni (Research Consultant).
ICWR is open to smart and productive partnership with any non-government organisations, inter-governmental bodies, institutions, private agencies, and relevant government ministries and bodies across the Muslim world and beyond to achieve its objectives.
It is noteworthy that ICWR has already identified specific areas of strategic research and professional consultancy which include:
1. A Master Plan for waqf in Muslim countries;
2. Waqf law and management;
3. Strategies for the development of waqf properties;
4. Recovery of encroached waqf properties;
5. Revival of family awqaf;
6. Survey of waqf properties;
7. Cash waqf;
8. Corporate waqf;
9. Documentation and facilitation of waqf tools;
10. Financing the development of waqf; and
11. Priority criteria for selecting waqf properties fit for development.
The Kulliah (Department) of Laws of International Islamic University Malaysia is involved in this venture. Prof. Dr. Syed Khalid Rashid of the Kulliah may be contacted for further details at skhalid@iium.edu.my.