Islams Next Golden Age – The Waqf Factor

My

brothers and sisters it was because of the fact that Allah azza wa jal said in sort of early Emraan lantana aloe vera Hatha to unfit for me metal a boon. You will not fully reach or attain righteousness until you spend from that which you love that aroma. Kebab Radi Allahu Anhu came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and he said to him, Yara surah Allah, the Most Beloved property I own is the one I acquired in high bar.

So can I should I donate it for the sake of Allah azza wa jal, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam actually gave him an alternative. He suggested to him and said in Sheeta habits, the US law who What does her doctor be if you want, perhaps a better idea is to retain the property itself, the capital, if we're going to use finance terms, and to donate its yield. So instead of it being a one time donation, you sort of keep it or dedicated, kept in a way that will perpetually in an ongoing donation format, give you dividends or give you returns, for the sake of Allah, terracotta Allah, so I'm gonna did that. He took this advice and established that land as a walk as an endowment, it

became the first endowment in the history of Islam. And he declared that whatever was harvested from it was solely for the poor, or the needy, or his relatives or the guests. Because charity also begins at home, right? Or for a stranded traveler, and he, whoever is maintaining it, because someone's got to take care of it can consume of it within reasonability but can't monetize it can't profit from it.

And so that blessing advice of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam didn't stop with Omar.

The rest of the Sahaba latched on to it, to the degree that Jabiru of the Allahu ansaid there was not a single Companion of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam Luma Khedira tiene Illa wakaf that had the financial ability to do so, except that he had set up an endowment set up a Waqf meaning a property, an asset that would create revenue for the sake of Allah azza wa jal and

so Abu Bakr Satya Nadella, Juan and Ali ibn Abi Talib, Radi Allahu Allah and their workforce, their dog their living quarters, their property upon their death, was walking.

These are just the most famous of them and Omar Radi Allahu Allah. And as we said, in the Zubaydah, I won both the Allahu Allah and their estates, their farm lands were dedicated for the sake of Allah subhanho wa taala. Remember the Allahu Allah and he did so much. But the most famous of them perhaps is rumor, the wealth of rumor, he purchased it for an exorbitant amount it was very overpriced, but the Messenger of Allah asaurus men response about the Allah who won and he made it an open source of water for the Muslims of Medina. And it remains as they work for an endowment estates that are over time it had to be restored and modernized until today you can go to the workforce men, but the Allah

Tala Northman and then there's Khalid Khalid milliliter of the Allahu, and the little bits that he had, where his weapons and his battle armor, he dedicated those as well.

Meaningful until they fall apart whoever can make use of them is to make use of them for the sake of Allah subhanho wa taala. But then it didn't even just stop at the Sahaba the blessing suggestion of the Prophet alayhi salatu salam became the hallmark of Islam in particular. It's not like other civilizations never had any endowments. Yeah, you could have a pagan nation somewhere that dedicated, you know, a cow to the false gods, and that's a sacred cow. And if it has a baby, the baby's sacred to please don't touch it. Not like this. This became the hallmark of Islamic civilization. They were so moved by this prophetic advice and opportunity. It's because Muslims also

in particular, were given by the Prophet alayhi salatu. Salam, a superior notion, if you will, through the walk tradition, through the endowment idea

of retirement accounts. You know, people today, they toil for decades, so that they can retire or sort of live on passive income at some point, 10 years, maybe 20, maybe 30. Maybe 40 usually takes them longer than most of us calculate whatever the number is going to be, so that you can enjoy it for what for 510 1215 years. Maybe your kids might need it. Maybe they'll appreciate it, right. That's the retirement account idea in this day and age. Yes, most

slims. Were taught to

have financial planning mindsets, even in the worldly sense. Yes, it's true. But they were given a superior notion as well, that whatever you do, it's worth it. Because after the 6070 years, you have a general retirement portfolio that will give you returns forever without end, longer lasting in a better world. And so as a result of that concept, result of that suggestion, advice from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Muslims were different. They were particularly invested in endowments, and it became the hallmark of the icon of Islamic civilization. To the point the Muslims weren't even just interested in just any endowment, they would go out of their way to figure out what was

needed right now. What What can I get max reward on through my assets with Allah azza wa jal? And so it went in every direction. What can I serve, what need is pressing, and I can serve it in a way that is intelligent, that is sustainable, ongoing. And so you look at the first dynasty of Islam for example, we will maids

the old maids and by extension Muslims throughout history boast of being the founders of the very first psychological treatment centers on the planet free of charge. Why? Because there was endowment set up to fund them. These places were were campuses actually they weren't like hospitals, right for like you just get treated, wounded up bandaged or prescribed and they were campuses retreats, like floor hold retreats, meadows, if you will, for people to remain until they rehabilitate their mental health. They were called Mara stance. And then the reins of the OMA is inherited by another dynasty called the Abbasids. And the Tibetans are the ones credited with turning Islamic civilization into

the intellectual hub of the world. This was the global center of learning. You have places like buck that in its golden age Bates when hikma which everyone talks about the House of Wisdom, why how did this become the also Cordoba though they were under the domains what same period? Why because of endowments, the endowments were funding this possibility to make it a reality.

You know, you even speaking of that Besitz you have to recall Zubaydah, the wife of one of the greatest rulers of the bested period held on the Rashid, his wife Zubaydah. She saw a need and she acted right away in endowment form endowment fashion. She came to hedge and she realized how complicated how burdensome it was.

For people to retrieve water in the middle of the desert as they're preparing for Hajj and setting up their campsite, and they're not familiar with the area. They're all travelers from every corner of the world. So she out of pocket spent almost an incalculable fortune, so that for 10s of kilometers, she set up what's known as I know Zubaydah today, it's still there. If you go to hajj and umrah and the taxi driver knows what he's doing, he can actually show it to you, though it's no longer functional. She sets up with engineers a pipeline or actually like a pathway for the water to get collected in places after rainfall and to be brought all the way to where people stay at Hajj at

the campsite of Mina. Why she saw the need, and the blessing advice of the Prophet SAW Salem about our calf about endowments was still alive in their hearts. And then you fast forward if you like, you know, you go even in, in Damascus, during you know, the Islamic

Golden Ages. It got to a point where people were setting up retirement homes as endowments for retired, wait for it animals to the point that the scholars of Islam had to get involved and say, Wait a minute, is this even permissible? Right? And then some of they're gonna say, well, technically the Prophet Alayhi Salatu was Salam said frequently Cabot in Robins sadaqa. Every living being, you know, is an avenue of charity. Like they all agreed that you can donate an animal to be used to serve humans. But what if I'm creating an establishment to serve the cow who's done his work, and now he's too old to serve on the farm. So let them have a little bit better quality of

life on his way out. They were retirement homes for elderly or handicapped, dogs, cats, the cattle and the scholars had to figure out should we or should we not endorse this practice? That's how widespread it was. That's how driven people were to be a part of this legacy, this tradition of coffin endowments and you know, the the Zen GIS which sort of paved the way for the Ayyubid Salahuddin, a UB who restored and liberated Mr. Ragosa from its crusade.

Your occupiers. They too, and there's a reason why I'm mentioning this example I'll come to it in a minute. They too had pioneered novel new endowments. Like they say that during the time of the EU bids, they started creating these public fountains where people can come get milk and sweetened water like outputs for underfed infants. Like let's say there's a baby that is not drinking from its mom, or its mom has died in childbirth or is missing or otherwise malnourished newborns would go and get this milk, perhaps goat milk or whatever it's going to be right sweetened water to help sustain the endowments were made. And then like, you know, even the Mamluks had inherited the custodianship

for a long time have administered Roxa before the Ottomans, they too took now endowment to fund the endless waves of people that visited Haramain you know, it's not just in this day and age that Mecca and Medina are are crowded, the Muslim ummah forever wants to be there wants to visit there should be going there. They set up the endowment that finance this.

And so why am I sharing all of this and sort of rapid fire fashion I want you to notice that the periods of strength in Muslim civilization, were always interlinked, always connected, because they were dependent on after Allah azza wa jal, periods of strong endowments, strong alcohol, strong institutions and establishments that created revenue that would make the OMA and the good causes serve sustainable and ongoing.

And likewise, the periods that we are climbing out of now gradually, slowly but surely, but long way to go. The periods of weakness are directly correlated with us forgetting our walk tradition, our endowment legacy.

When the colonial powers overrun most of the Muslim world, or its entirety, one of the first things that was commandeered was the endowments.

And so we have to reclaim that tradition. That advice of our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam both religiously and strategically. A hola hola that was stuck for Allah Allah Emily welcome

Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala Milena Viva La ilaha illallah wa ala Shetty, Cara, who eyeshadow and Mohammed Abdullah, who want to be you who are solo.

It was not just the Muslim endowments that were taken away from the Muslim world. But their collective memory of it

was exported elsewhere, like we stopped recalling it, but others did not. And I want you to notice this as well. The period of strength of one of the greatest empires, perhaps in the history of humanity, the United States, for example, right?

The modern world in general?

Where does their strength come from?

A huge part of it is what education

be because these universities are actually empires in the making, you know, some people call them, you know, research that builds research centers that build empires, other people call them empires of research. You know, how else do you separate yourself from the pack in the world.

They had massive Al Kahf and continued to grow them until today to enable them to do that, you know, you go to the Ivy League schools, for example, Harvard downward 1520 schools that are off range from 15 to $55 billion

assets, capital that creates revenue for them. You know what that does the result of that, you're able now to afford recruiting,

cutting edge talent, to produce cutting edge research, you pay their tuition, it's called scholarship, and you pay for the research they're going to do. It's called grants, research grants. That's where the money came from. Our tradition that we forgot, and we need to almost learn back from those who recall it today.

And, you know, research just to make the connection for everyone. Research determines public opinion, right? These universities determine the world view the lens with which the rest of the world interprets realities correctly or incorrectly. It's not just inventions which are a great thing, progress and forward thinking which is a great thing. Even baseless, popular thought is because of the fact that they could afford to push it in every direction. So it sticks it gets reinforced.

Like think of

like unscientific theory.

This baseless theories, like the debates you hear nowadays about gender theory. Why are they so dominant? They are pushed by gender theory departments that are requested by major donors to the endowment of these universities, right or wrong? You know, there is another because Palestine is and should be on everyone's mind. Why does every major university have a Jewish Studies department that teaches something called theological dispensation theory, basically, theological God, dispense to us these lens?

Do you understand how insane This is, in a secular society to teach this doesn't have to make sense that the donors want supply and demand good customer service. That's the way it works. Theodore Hertzel, who wrote the State of Israel, the guy behind the dream, the diplomat who tried the Ottomans, and it failed, and he went to the British, and it worked, and he networked his way into this, the man was an atheist. Right? And he's quoting the Bible. And these departments are peddling this right or wrong. He did not believe in God to begin with. The history departments next door inside these University says these Bibles have no reason to be trusted. Historically, speaking, like

scrutinizing the history, there is no way to trace the scriptures. There's no way to trace these manuscripts. There's no reason to rely on this doesn't have to make sense.

We will bow to top dollar, right. Brothers and sisters even think of you know, when we say vote with your dollar, or when for those of you who are boycotting right, what are we boycotting? We're boycotting Al Kahf, aren't we we're boycotting institutions that are established that fund.

Right? The system's the machinery that pressures politicians into selling their souls to the devil, right or wrong into justifying war crimes into defending the indefensible. That's the way it works.

Thus, they lobby at $900 million from what I've heard a year.

And the Muslim community lobbies with about $30 million. From what I hear though the population numbers in the United States, the Muslims and between Jews are not that big, or should I say Zionist in particular are a subset of that even.

And think of even relief efforts brothers and sisters, right? Let us say Allah azza wa jal

ended the war in Gaza today, like somehow just everything evaporates.

Are things back to normal?

Just Laza if no other crisis arises in the next 40 years, just as they will require its own 40 years of rebuilding, right? The lives the homes, the schools, the sewage systems, the medical centers, who can sustain this, someone who's thinking before it happens, right forward thinking. And the last example I'll give is our data to bring it locally, you know, that people are hearing about through the Palestinians and otherwise, Islam far and wide. And the uptake on the demand for Quran and the curiosity about Islam is at an all time high right now.

In the past two weeks, I have

attended or spoke with two probably the greatest distributors of free Korans in the country.

And they're saying we're trying to keep up with the orders, and they're spiking through the roof, but

we have to literally collect every penny manually. The pace is not sustainable. One of them said to me and from Chicago, that in January next month, we had to order and it's coming in January 500,000 copies, half a million copies of Quran translations. And so if you can spread this link around to help people get a part of it.

We have no way around thinking systematically right now. Yes, the passion is there, but also being prudent being calculated, being strategic, remembering the statement of the province all sudden, yes, you can donate here, but how about you hold it in a certain place and insist that a generate even more for you and for all the good causes you represent as a Muslim?

You know, I'll share with you something personal, I'll close with it.

And it's not very comfortable to share either. That, you know, sometimes people share words of appreciation with me, right? You're doing work that nobody is doing something of this nature and sometimes straight on sort of like whispers to I'm a human being right.

One of the ways that I tried to discipline myself always is I quickly tried to center myself by creating a list in my head of people that I had they been dedicated staff Alhamdulillah I didn't need it, but I chose to dedicate myself to this work, right. Had they been able to give more than five or 10 hours a week? Had they been staffed on payroll to give 40 or 60 hours a week. They would have done a phenom

not only better job than me, that's the reality, like remove the personality from the equation. If we want to staff up and professionalize the institutions that are we are going to leave for our children and our grandchildren. We have to think visionary, there's going to be no fundraising. After this.

All of you have heard about the luck, launch or relaunch that we're having on the 17th. I hope you're all registered for it. That is where we will speak about how we plan on reviving this walk tradition, at least within our own capacities, this prophetic legacy within our own capacities, building for growth and for lasting impact within our capacities here locally, in sha Allah, Allah. But I just wanted to speak about once again, what is the work and how powerful the work has been? Not just because it's our religious commitment to remember it, but strategically in our history, and in our modern day, it seems to be the game changer, isn't it? It seems to be the differentiating X

Factor. So may Allah azza wa jal teach us and you and guide us and you and enable us and you to not be distracted by money or by conceit or by delusion, or by short sightedness. May Allah azza wa jal grant us more and more opportunities to serve his noble cause and allow us to be distinctly impactful through our short lives here on this earth. May Allah cure our sick and have mercy on our dead