How It Works

The 7-Stage Waqf Governance Model

Every waqf on our platform passes through a rigorous multi-stage review process combining Islamic scholarship, legal compliance, and community governance — ensuring perpetual integrity.

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Stage 1
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Stage 2
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Stage 3
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Stage 4
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Stage 5
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Stage 6
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Stage 7
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Stage 1

Propose Your Waqf

اقتراح الوقف

Any verified PROPOSER can submit a waqf project. The submission includes the project title, category, country, detailed description, financial target, governance structure, trustee (mutawalli) information, legal entity details, and Shariah references.

Islamic Basis: The Prophet ﷺ encouraged detailed planning for sadaqah jariyah: 'When a person dies, all their deeds end except three: sadaqah jariyah, knowledge that benefits others, or a righteous child who prays for them.' (Muslim)

  • 5-step online wizard guides you through the entire submission
  • Save as draft at any time and return later
  • Supports 8 project categories: Mosque, Education, Healthcare, Housing, Agriculture, Technology, Humanitarian, Other
  • Minimum corpus target: $10,000
  • Multi-currency support including USD, EUR, SAR, MYR, IDR, NGN
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Stage 2

Amanah Initial Review (Stage 1)

المراجعة الأولية للأمانة

The Amanah Council performs the first gate: eligibility, completeness, and basic Shariah compatibility. Projects missing essential documentation are returned with detailed feedback. This stage aims for a 5-business-day turnaround.

Islamic Basis: The Amanah (أمانة) concept — trustworthiness and stewardship — is central to Islamic governance. 'Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due.' (Quran 4:58)

  • Verifies proposer identity and KYC status
  • Checks completeness of documentation
  • Performs basic Shariah compatibility screening
  • Assigns a primary reviewer from the Amanah Council
  • Returns detailed feedback for incomplete submissions
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Stage 3

Due Diligence (Stage 2)

العناية الواجبة

In-depth financial, legal, and operational due diligence. The Amanah team verifies the proposer's background, the financial projections, the mutawalli's qualifications, and the viability of the revenue model.

Islamic Basis: Islam commands verification before trust: 'O you who believe! If an evildoer brings you news, investigate it, lest you harm people out of ignorance.' (Quran 49:6)

  • Financial model audit and sustainability assessment
  • Background check on the proposer and mutawalli
  • Governance structure analysis
  • Revenue model viability review
  • Reference checks with partner organizations
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Stage 4

Shariah Compliance Board (Stage 3)

مجلس الامتثال الشرعي

Qualified Islamic scholars — specializing in Fiqh al-Muamalat and Fiqh al-Awqaf — review the entire project for Shariah compliance. They evaluate the corpus structure, revenue model permissibility, beneficiary eligibility, and governance alignment with classical waqf law.

Islamic Basis: Classical scholars defined the waqf as: 'The prevention of using the property while it remains in the ownership of the founder, and dedication of the usufruct to the beneficiaries.' The Shariah Board ensures fidelity to these conditions.

  • Scholars from multiple madhabs review the project
  • Corpus structure evaluated for permanence and permissibility
  • Revenue streams screened for halal compliance
  • Beneficiary distribution verified against Shariah guidelines
  • Issues a formal Shariah Compliance Certificate upon approval
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Stage 5

Legal & Governance Review (Stage 4)

المراجعة القانونية والحوكمة

Legal counsel verifies the waqf deed, trustee qualifications, registration status, and cross-border regulatory compliance. Where a legal entity does not yet exist, the Waqf.social legal team provides guided assistance with registration under the Swiss model or local frameworks.

Islamic Basis: Islamic law requires the waqf deed (waqfiyya) to clearly define the purpose, conditions, trustees, and beneficiaries. The Prophet ﷺ approved Umar's waqf deed in complete detail (Bukhari, Muslim).

  • Waqf deed (waqfiyya) review and compliance check
  • Mutawalli qualifications and conflict of interest assessment
  • Cross-border legal compliance (FATF, AML/CFT)
  • Swiss foundation registration guidance if needed
  • Legal kit provided for 12-country domestic registration
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Stage 6

Community Shura (Stage 5)

الشورى المجتمعية

Verified donors and community members vote on each project. The voting window is 14 days. Projects require a majority approval to advance. This is a unique governance feature — the ummah itself approves each waqf.

Islamic Basis: Allah says: 'And those who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation (shura).' (Quran 42:38) The waqf community participates in governance, reflecting the ummah's ownership of these endowments.

  • 14-day community voting window
  • Votes weighted by verification status and contribution history
  • Minimum quorum required for valid vote
  • Proposer can respond to community questions during the window
  • Results published transparently on the project page
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Stage 7

Publication & Fundraising (Stages 6–7)

النشر وجمع التبرعات

After Final Amanah Approval (Stage 6), the project is published and fundraising opens (Stage 7). Donors contribute to the permanent waqf corpus. Each donation generates a digital Waqf Certificate with a unique tokenHash. The corpus is permanently locked and only the income is distributed.

Islamic Basis: Once the waqf is established and valid, it opens to the ummah for contribution: 'Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.' (Bukhari, Muslim) Every donor becomes a perpetual benefactor.

  • Project published with full Shariah certificate
  • Stripe-powered secure donation processing
  • Three donation types: Waqf Corpus (permanent), Platform Support, Zakat
  • Each donation generates a digital Waqf Certificate
  • When target is reached, project transitions to FUNDED status
  • Blockchain certificate NFT planned for Q3 2026

The Principle of Permanent Corpus Lock

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Asl (Corpus)

The donated principal is permanently locked. It can never be spent, sold, or redistributed. This is the core Islamic requirement of all waqf.

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Ghallah (Income)

The income generated by the corpus — rental income, business revenue, investment returns — is collected and distributed per the waqf deed.

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Perpetual Impact

A single donation in 2025 will generate charitable impact in 2125, 2225, and beyond. This is sadaqah jariyah — perpetual charity that rewards you even after death.

Ready to Create Your Waqf?

Submit your project proposal today and begin the journey toward building a permanent charitable legacy.

Ask our AI Scholar ✨