Amman, Jan. 26 (Petra) - Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince El Hassan bin Talal, the School of Shariah at the University of Jordan on Monday held a dialogue forum titled "Zakat and Developmental Waqf: A Strategic Vision for Sustainable Community Empowerment," attended by Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalaileh and religious leaders and specialists in waqf affairs from Jordan and the Arab world.

During the forum, Prince El Hassan called for the establishment of a global institution specializing in zakat and waqf, based on a joint study between the Ministry of Awqaf and the School of Shariah at the University of Jordan. He stressed that zakat and waqf constitute the culture of a state and the civilization of a nation and are two fundamental pillars in building societies and enhancing their sustainability.

Addressing youth, His Royal Highness said that there is a need for efforts that begin with integrity in thinking, development, and governance, and the mobilization of collective goodwill for sustainability that transcends time and overcomes crises. He noted that developmental waqf represents one of the most powerful tools for transforming values into long-term developmental impact.

He added that the supreme goal of this meeting is to reach a new force of achievement by relying on the depth of collective charitable thought and restoring ethical values that encompass the individual from the first unit of society, starting with the family. He stressed that human dignity is the foundation and that true capital is the human being.

For his part, Dean of the School of Shariah Abdul Rahman Alkilani said Prince El Hassan’s patronage of the forum represents support for the development of waqf work. He noted that its convening comes at a time when there is a growing need to activate economic tools that historically contributed to building Arab and Islamic civilization and harness them to confront current challenges and build practical solutions that achieve sustainable development.

Alkilani stressed the need to move from the traditional image of charitable work to an institutional model based on governance and transparency, reforming legislation and strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors in a way that makes developmental waqf a deeply rooted culture in society and enhances its impact in vital sectors such as health, education, scientific research, social protection, the environment, agriculture, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

He recalled the situation of waqf properties in Jerusalem and the serious risks they face, praising the role of the Hashemite custodianship in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in the Holy City. He also commended the participation of Christian clergy in the forum as confirmation of unity in defending Islamic and Christian endowments.

In his remarks, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Mohammad Khalaileh reviewed the situation of waqf in the Kingdom and ways to activate and enhance its developmental impact. He addressed the history of the establishment of the Islamic Awqaf Department and the path of development of waqf work within the national institutional framework.

Meanwhile, Director General of Kuwait Zakat House Majed Al-Azmi, in his address to the forum, presented Kuwait’s experience in managing zakat affairs. He noted that Zakat House was established in 1982 to collect and distribute zakat funds, organize charitable activities, and enhance community awareness of the concept of zakat and its developmental impact.

Discussions during the forum emphasized the importance of exchanging views and expertise and documenting practical ideas in a way that contributes to transforming the proposals presented into implementable paths on the ground.

At the conclusion of the forum, the School of Shariah presented Prince El Hassan bin Talal with a commemorative shield in appreciation of his continued efforts in supporting intellectual and developmental initiatives and strengthening institutional charitable work.

//Petra// AF