Road towards a Maqāṣidic Governance of waqf in Kerala: a preliminary analysis

The institution of the Waqf plays philanthropic, religious and social roles in the well-being of the people, subject to the efficient governance it avails. In the context of Waqf, ‘maqāṣidic governance’ refers to the protection and administration of waqf properties and distribution of waqf income to the deserving people, fulfilling the objectives of Sharīʿiah and the goals of Waqf while meeting the needs of the time. This paper attempts to conduct a preliminary analysis of existing practices of Waqf in Kerala. Adopting an analytical method and conducting open-end interviews, this research scrutinizes the current trends of waqf management in Kerala. Following the exploration of the synthetic relationship between Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿiah and Waqf, this study delves into a discourse on the application of potential maqāṣidic governance to the waqf administration in Kerala. This study affirms that the maqāṣidic governance of Waqf has an undeniable scope in Kerala, which is hoped to concurrently meet the demands of Waqf and the needs of beneficiaries