Insights into Awqaf Management & Development

I met with Dr Hisham Dafterdar during a visit to South Africa in 2013. Both of us were in SA as speakers at a capacity building program organized by Awqaf SA. I was deeply impressed by the depth and breadth of his knowledge of the subject as I listened to his lectures. What struck me more was his passion for the institution of waqf, which perhaps explained the decades he had spent in finding new solutions for the dormant sector. He was keen to contribute to and participate in any initiative aimed at rejuvenating the sector. He brought with him intricate knowledge of the modern tools as a qualified CPA.

It is hard not to recollect his humility and kindness as an individual. He practiced the principles of charity and philanthropy that underlines the institution of awqaf. During the week we spent together I was a witness to snippets of his “kindness in action” as we visited a few places including an orphanage.

Caption: At Union Buildings, Pretoria, SA with Dr Hisham Dafterdar
Someone from the group commented: Gentlemen, you look like guys from the bomb squad without the robes :)

In 2017 IBF Net published the maiden contribution by Dr. Hisham Dafterdar as a guest author. Since then we are privileged to publish as many as 15 beautiful blogs on various aspects of awqaf and make available at the blogs section of our Conference platform. Since all the writings are as relevant today as they were at the time of publishing, we intend to bring them together in a single document as “Insights into Awqaf Management & Development”. The blogs include:

The Waqf Brand: Business with Compassion
Awqaf Beneficiaries — The Pleasure is All Yours
Awqafability: Many Happy Returns
Awqaf Risk Management: A Case Study
Awqaf’s Un-calculated Risks
Awqaf: The Ethical Sector
Awqaf Volunteers: The Intriguing Intangibles
Awqaf in the Fintech Age
In Awqaf We Trust:Â Management of Family Wealth
Awqaf Nazir: Glad to be of Service
Awqaf Governance: Thinking Inside the Box
Awqaf Brand: Business with Compassion
Awqaf: The Quiet Achiever
Understanding the Duties and Responsibilities of the Nazir
Awqaf-Private Sector Partnership
Awqaf Beneficiaries: Venerable or Vulnerable?

We wish and pray for the good health of Dr Hisham and hope he continues to contribute to the literature on awqaf with his powerful and insightful pieces. At the same time, we take the opportunity to invite other scholars and researchers to come forward and share their knowledge and experience with the wider IBF community through our Conference platform.

By Dr. Mohammed Obaidullah, Chairman, IBF Net Group