Turkey's Living Waqf Legacy Challenges BJP's 'No Waqf Anywhere' Claim

As debates rage in India over the new Waqf law that has caused consternation within the Muslim community, my recent visit to Ankara offered an eye-opening narrative.

Stepping out of the grand Melike Hatun Mosque on a crisp morning, I was drawn by an unmissable sign: Vakıf Eserleri Müzesi – the Waqf Works Museum. It’s worth noting that in Turkish, “waqf” is written as Vakıf, and in English, it translates to “foundation.”

For a moment, the false claim echoing back home – that “there is no Waqf in Turkey” no less than claimed by the BJP leaders in the parliamentary debate – rang in my ears.

कई इस्लामिक देशों में वक़्फ़ का वजूद नहीं जबकि भारत में वक़्फ़ बोर्ड को क़ानूनी मान्यता प्राप्त है, उसके बाद भी हंगामा क्यों बरपा हुआ है? #WaqfAmendmentBill pic.twitter.com/3DxJasCnR8

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) April 2, 2025

But standing before the imposing inscription of Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü (General Directorate of Foundations), it was clear: Waqf not only exists in Türkiye but thrives as an integral part of its social and cultural fabric.

BJP spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra and BJP MP from Godda, Jharkhand, Nishikant Dubey had asserted that Islamic countries like Türkiye had no waqf institutions. Yet, here I was, in the heart of Ankara, standing before a museum wholly dedicated to the heritage of waqf.

Entering the museum felt like stepping into a different world. Established in 2007 and recognised by the European Museum Forum in 2009 for its exceptional contribution to public understanding, the Waqf Works Museum is housed in a modern building, yet echoes a timeless legacy.

The inside of the Vakıf Eserleri Müzesi or the Waqf Works Museum in Ankara, Turkey. Photo: avem.vgm.gov.tr

To the left of the entrance, I encountered a collection of ancient manuscripts, periodicals, and scholarly books. Although most were in Turkish, the universal language of heritage was unmistakable. Every page spoke of centuries-old traditions of charity, learning, and community service – the very ideals waqf embodies.

Further inside, an enchanting collection of artefacts awaited: dazzling Ottoman-era carpets, antique clocks, intricately wrought utensils, stunning calligraphy, and rare Qur'anic manuscripts.

One particular exhibit that caught my eye was a copy of Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi’s Masnavi, penned in Persian by Dervish Mehmet Fahmi in 1272. The delicate calligraphy and age-worn pages seemed to radiate the spirit of devotion that fuels the waqf tradition.

Among the museum’s most prized possessions are two historical covers of the Kaaba – known as Sitare. Woven under Ottoman supervision, these covers were ceremoniously dispatched from Istanbul to Mecca each year in a grand caravan known as the Sûrre-i Hümâyûn.

The story behind these covers is gripping. Gifted by Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Pasha, a grand vizier during the Tulip Era, the covers were originally housed in the Kurşunlu Mosque in Nevşehir. Tragically, they were stolen in 2003.

However, fate intervened. When the covers surfaced in London, offered for sale to antique dealer Francesca Galloway, the Topkapi Palace Museum quickly verified their authenticity. Thanks to a swift diplomatic effort by Turkish authorities, the covers were returned to Turkey in 2004 and are now preserved here – standing as silent witnesses to a history of reverence, betrayal, and restoration.

The covers are not mere artefacts; they are powerful reminders of the spiritual and cultural ties that once bound vast geographies together through the institution of waqf.

Another captivating section of the museum showcases Ottoman-era carpets, each bearing witness to a unique custom. In earlier centuries, when a person died, their family would drape the coffin with a richly woven carpet. Following the funeral, they would donate this carpet to the local mosque – a final act of charity on behalf of the deceased.

These carpets, saturated with centuries of collective memory, are now meticulously preserved and displayed. Some are faded, their colours softened by time, while others retain their vibrant hues – a testament to the enduring craftsmanship of their makers.

The museum also holds hundreds more in storage, waiting to be studied, restored, and eventually showcased, ensuring that the spirit of charity they symbolise is not forgotten.

Beyond its material exhibits, the museum invites visitors to contemplate the deeper history of waqf in Türkiye.

The waqf system was foundational to the Ottoman Empire. It allowed private citizens, rulers, and officials alike to create endowments that funded mosques, schools, hospitals, roads, fountains, soup kitchens, and libraries.

According to Dr. Ozan Maraşlı of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, the Ottoman Empire saw the existence of two primary forms of waqf (charitable endowments): privately established waqf and irsādī awqaf – state-sponsored endowments initiated by Sultans through allocations from the public treasury. These state-established waqf were administered by high-ranking officials such as the Sadr-ı A‘zam (Grand Vizier) and the Shaykh al-Islam (chief religious authority).

This decentralised system of waqf management persisted until 1586, when a specialised ministry was created to oversee waqf dedicated to the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina. Known as the Evkāf-ı Harameyn Nezâreti (Ministry of Foundations of the Holy Cities), this institution represented the first centralized administrative effort in Ottoman history to manage a specific category of waqf with shared religious and charitable objectives. Shortly after its establishment, the Ministry’s remit was expanded to include waqf founded by Sultans, members of the royal family, and prominent Pashas.

Maraşlı, who earned his PhD in 2022 with a dissertation titled The Economics of Awqāf in Türkiye, stresses that irsādī waqf differs fundamentally from traditional private waqf. While conventional waqf are established through private donations, irsādī waqf are initiated by the state, with specific government revenues allocated for public welfare purposes. In contemporary Türkiye, notable examples of irsādī waqf include the Social Aid and Solidarity Waqf, the Turkish Environmental Protection Waqf, and the Turkish Maarif Foundation.

As of 2018, Türkiye was home to 1,002 Social Aid and Solidarity Waqf, with at least one branch operating in each district. Their primary mission is to provide direct financial and material assistance to impoverished and vulnerable populations, addressing essential needs such as food, shelter, education, and healthcare.

The modern revival of Türkiye’s waqf system was significantly influenced by reforms initiated in the mid-20th century. As Murat Çizakça outlines in his research paper From Destruction to Restoration: Islamic Waqf in Türkiye and Malaysia, a new waqf law enacted in 1967 played a pivotal role in restoring the system. “Not only were the property rights of awqaf once again guaranteed,” Çizakça notes, “but also waqf-company links were strengthened.”

Building upon these reforms, Maraşlı highlights that the most recent waqf legislation was introduced in 2008. A landmark feature of this law was the requirement for all governmental bodies to restore previously seized waqf assets to their original owners. In Istanbul alone, 77 significant waqf properties were returned under this regulation. These included major religious, cultural, and historical landmarks such as the Süleymaniye Mosque, Fatih Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Hagia Sophia Mosque, Hırka-i Şerif Mosque, Eyüp Sultan Mosque, Yeni Mosque, as well as iconic secular properties like Beşiktaş Vodafone Park Stadium (partial), Şişli Etfal Hospital, Adile Sultan Palace, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Galata Tower, Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Spice Bazaar), and the Grand Bazaar.

Hagia Sophia in Istambul, Turkey. Photo: Benh LIEU SONG/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Another significant initiative, led by the Directorate General of Foundations, involved the restoration of old waqf properties. By the end of 2018, approximately 5,250 waqf assets had been restored using the restore-manage-transfer or build-lease/manage-transfer models.

Today, Türkiye recognises five principal categories of waqf:

1) Fused (Mazbūt) Awqaf,
2) New Awqaf (established after 1926),
3) Annexed (Mülhak) Awqaf,
4) Minority Awqaf (belonging to non-Muslim communities), and
5) İrsādī Awqaf (state-established endowments).

According to Maraşlı, as of August 2019, Türkiye had 52,000 registered mazbūt waqf, 5,268 new waqf, 256 annexed (mülhak) waqf, and 167 minority waqf.

Mazbūt waqf are endowments directly managed by the Directorate General of Foundations due to the absence of an administrator or trustee. Their primary source of income is rental revenue from waqf properties. These funds are used for a wide range of charitable purposes outlined in the original waqfiyyah (founding deed), including: Recitation of the Qur’an, food aid for the poor, needy, and travellers, scholarships for students at all levels of education, monthly stipends for orphans and persons with disabilities,  establishment of schools, healthcare centres, and social welfare facilities, operation of public soup kitchens and medical treatment for poor and needy foreign patients.

The annexed (Mülhak) waqf constitute another important segment of Türkiye’s waqf heritage. Dating back to the Ottoman period, these waqf were established before 1926 and continue to be managed by the descendants of their original founders, preserving a vital link between the past and present in the administration of charitable endowments. This immense network supports education, healthcare, social welfare, environmental protection, and cultural preservation across the country.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Türkiye’s contemporary waqf landscape is the rise of corporate waqf.

Türkiye also has a well-established cash waqf (endowment) system, which was initially designed to assist residents in paying property and other local taxes. These endowments collected funds from the public and, beyond tax relief, were used to support various social and community needs within their respective regions.

According to Ozan Maraşlı, during the period of the Demokrat Partisi (Democrat Party) in 1954, the Vakıf Bank (Waqf Bank) was established by using the capitals of cash awqaf.

Today, Vakıf Bank operates in every city across Türkiye and is recognised as the second-largest bank in the country by asset volume.

In addition to Vakıf Bank, Türkiye is also home to Vakıf Katılım Bank, which operates as a participation (Islamic) bank, further extending the legacy and function of waqf in the modern Turkish financial system.

The story of İş Bankası adds a personal resonance. Founded partly through donations from Indian Muslims during the Khilafat Movement in 1922, it stands as a symbol of historic bonds between India and Türkiye – bonds formed through shared struggles and dreams.

Archival records even show that citizens from my hometown of Bettiah contributed to this fund – a poignant discovery during my journey.

Another often overlooked facet is Türkiye’s protection of minority waqf.

Registered minority waqf, primarily belonging to Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Catholic, and Jewish communities, support religious, educational, and cultural institutions. Their survival and continued operation reflect Türkiye’s complex, multicultural legacy.

Despite challenges, minority waqf properties such as churches, synagogues, and schools remain active and contribute meaningfully to Türkiye’s social fabric.

In stark contrast, back home in India, the waqf discourse has taken a troubling turn.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced in August 2024, triggered heated debates, often laced with misinformation. The misinformation spread by two MPs in Lok Sabha was amplified by the Press Information Bureau.

Although BJP president J.P. Nadda later corrected this narrative in Rajya Sabha, acknowledging that Türkiye brought Waqf under state control in 1924, the deeper truth remained obscured.

Türkiye’s waqf system was never abolished – it evolved, adapted, and continues to thrive.

Unfortunately, in India, Muslim endowments suffer from neglect, mismanagement, and political apathy. Successive governments have failed to harness waqf's potential for community upliftment. Worse still, the current political climate often casts suspicion on waqf properties under the guise of combating “land jihad.”

Leaving the Waqf Works Museum, my heart was heavy but hopeful. Heavy, because of the growing misrepresentations and attacks on waqf in India; hopeful, because Türkiye’s example proves that endowments can be a vital force for good when nurtured responsibly.

The museum is more than a collection of artefacts – it is a testament to a civilisation built on compassion, learning, and public service. It represents the fact that waqf is not a relic of the past – it is a living, breathing pillar of human civilisation.

Afroz Alam Sahil is a freelance journalist and author. He can be contacted at @afrozsahil on X.

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