A perpetual charitable endowment — property held permanently, its benefit dedicated to a purpose.
In Islamic law
A waqf removes property from the estate permanently, dedicating its usufruct to a charitable or family purpose. Because it is a completed dedication it does not form part of the inheritable estate, though a waqf created in the final illness is treated under the wasiyyah rules.
In Canadian law
The nearest Canadian vehicles are the charitable trust and the registered charity. A perpetual private trust may collide with the rule against perpetuities in some provinces; a charitable purpose trust generally escapes it. Structuring a waqf here needs a lawyer.
No significant difference between the four Sunni schools is recorded on this point in the sources reviewed. Where a specific case turns on it, ask a qualified scholar rather than relying on a general summary.
Canadian legal detail
Treadstone Law, an Ontario firm with a wills and estates practice, covers the Canadian side of this in more depth:
- Verifying lawyers trust account details before wiring
- Estate trustee accounting beneficiaries ontario
- Qualified disability trust eligibility
This entry is general information, not legal or religious advice. Inheritance turns on the exact family circumstances. Confirm Canadian law with a lawyer in your province, and any religious ruling with a qualified scholar.