<![CDATA[Waqf land certification plays a crucial role in providing legal certainty and protection for waqf assets in Indonesia. This study aims to analyze the optimization of waqf land certification as a form of legal protection in Sekanah Village, North Lingga District, Lingga Regency, and to examine it through the perspective of hifz al-mal (protection of property) within maqasid al-shariah. Using a qualitative method with a socio-legal (empirical juridical) approach, data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentation involving the Head of the Religious Affairs Office (KUA) as PPAIW, the village head, nazhir, religious leaders, and the Indonesian Waqf Board (BWI). Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The findings reveal that several plots of waqf land used for mosques and public facilities remain uncertified due to the absence of Waqf Pledge Deeds (AIW) for orally declared old waqf, incomplete ownership documents, and weak coordination among stakeholders, compounded by the archipelagic geography of Lingga Regency. These obstacles are administrative and technical rather than related to the shariah validity of the waqf. The study concludes that certification serves as a substantive instrument of hifz al-mal, ensuring legal certainty and the sustainability of waqf benefits for the community]]>
