<![CDATA[Purpose of the study: This paper reconceptualizes Waqf as a development-oriented institution to promote economic inclusion and tackle urban homelessness in rapidly urbanizing Muslim societies. It moves Waqf beyond traditional charity and asset preservation toward an institutional model linking assets to long-term empowerment and urban development.Methodology: This qualitative conceptual study uses a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed articles, classical Islamic jurisprudence, policy documents, and urban development reports. Grounded in Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, institutional theory, Sen’s capability approach, social investment theory, and sustainable urban development theory, the literature underwent thematic content analysis to identify key model components.Main Findings: The study introduces the Waqf-Based Empowerment Institutional Model (WBEIM). Moving beyond traditional productive models that focus solely on asset returns, WBEIM ties asset productivity to a graduated pathway from homelessness to housing security, capability building, livelihood creation, and self-reliance. Unlike standard affordable-housing Waqf, WBEIM uses housing as an entry point for broader empowerment—integrating education, entrepreneurship, and employment support. It unites productive, cash, and digital Waqf within a single urban ecosystem sustained by digital accountability and reinvestment.Novelty/Originality of this study: WBEIM’s key novelty lies in reframing Waqf as an institutional empowerment system rather than just a financing tool. It bridges fragmented functions—asset utilization, shelter provision, and social finance—into a unified pathway converting Waqf resources into human capital, sustainable livelihoods, and urban inclusion.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
