This manuscript is a copy of a ‘waqfiyah’ (endowment document) drawn up by Muhammad b. Abd al-Ghani and it details various ‘waqf’ properties in Istanbul. A waqf is basically an endowment that is dedicated to charitable uses and to the service of God. These include mosques, copies of the Qur'an, or as a soup kitchen for the needy.One of the five pillars of Islam is ‘zakat’ - the giving of alms to the needy. Hence, the act of charity is very important to Muslims, who fulfill this religious obligation by giving a fixed percentage of their surplus wealth. The money will then be distributed to the poor and needy in the Muslim world.
