Rules Regarding Waqf

2685. If a person makes something Waqf, it ceases to be his property, and neither he nor anybody else can either gift it or sell it to any person. Also, no one can inherit anything out of it. There is, however, no harm in selling it in certain circumstances, as mentioned in rules nos. 2102 and 2103.

2686. It is not necessary to utter the formal declaration of Waqf in Arabic. If, for example, a person says: "I have waqfed this book for the students" it will be considered valid. In fact, Waqf is established by conduct as well.
Therefore, if a person spreads a mat in a mosque with an intention of Waqf, or constructs a building having an appearance of a mosque, with an intention of giving it away as a mosque, the Waqf will be established. In the cases of public Waqfs, like a mosque, a madressah, any public utility, or Waqf for general poor or Sadat, it does not require anyone to make a formal acceptance. In fact, even private Waqf, like the one created for one's own children, do not require any reciprocal acceptance.

2687. If a person marks a property for Waqf, but regrets before actually making a Waqf, or dies, the Waqf is not considered as established.

2688. If a person Waqfs a property, he should make it a perpetual Waqf from the day he declares the Waqf. Therefore, if he says: "This property is Waqf after my death" the Waqf will not be valid, because it would not cover the period from the time of declaration till his death.
Also, if he says: "This property will remain Waqf for ten years and will not be Waqf thereafter" or says: "It will be Waqf for ten years and thereafter it will not be Waqf for five years, and will become Waqf again after the expiry of that period", such a Waqf will not be valid.

2689. A private Waqf will be valid when the property which has been waqfed is given away, at the disposal of beneficiaries of the first category, or their representative or guardian. And, if a person Waqfs something upon his minor children, and looks after it on their behalf with the intention that it will become their property, the Waqf is in order.

2690. In the case of public Waqf like madressahs, mosques etc. it is not necessary that it be possessed by any gesture. The Waqf is established immediately upon its declaration as such.

2691. It is necessary that the person who makes a Waqf should be Baligh and sane, and should be doing so of his free will and niyyat. Also, he should have the right, according to Shariah, of disposal and discretion over his property. Based on this, feeble-minded person who squanders his wealth and is therefore debarred, cannot make a valid Waqf.

2692. If some property is made Waqf for an unborn child, it is a matter of Ishkal for that Waqf to be valid, and it is necessary to observe precaution in this case. But, if Waqf is created for some persons who are present at that time, and also for the persons who will be born later, even if they may not be in the womb of their mothers when the Waqf was made, it will be in order.
For example, if a person Waqfs a property for his children and after them for his grandchildren, and for every succeeding generation to benefit from it, the Waqf is in order.

2693. If a person creates a Waqf for himself, for example, if he Waqfs a shop for himself so that its income may be spent for the construction of his tomb after his death, the Waqf is not in order. But, if, he creates a Waqf for the poor and later on, he himself becomes poor, he can benefit from the accruals of that Waqf.

2694. If a person appoints a Mutawalli (trustee) of the property waqfed by him, the trustee should act according to his instructions, but if he does not appoint a trustee and say, he has waqfed the property for a particular group, like, for his children, the discretion rests with them, and if they are not baligh, the discretion rests with their guardian.
And the permission of the Mujtahid is not necessary for appropriating any benefit from the Waqf. But for any such steps taken to safeguard the interest of the Waqf, or the interest of future generations, like repairing or hiring it for the benefit of the future generation, permission from the Mujtahid is necessary.