Read more
Informationen zum Autor Authored by Reiter, Yitzhak Klappentext The waqf (pious endowment) was a major Islamic institution in Jerusalem under British Mandate and it fulfilled vital political, social and economic functions. This book considers how the waqf adapted to modern times and reflects on its role in Islamic life in Jerusalem in the light of the political debate between the Palestinian Arab national movement and the Jewish Zionist movement. One of the weaknesses of Islamic endowments was the lack of proper supervision of their administration. The image of institutionalized corruption within the waqf system, involving beneficiaries, administrators, qadis and members of the elite, however, is not completely supported by the findings of the present study. Alongside cases of neglect and poor administration of waqf in Mandatory Jerusalem, there were numerous instances of estates being properly maintained and well managed. The waqfs own 80 per cent of the land in the Old City of Jerusalem, and their socio-political influence lies at the root of the present debate about the character and future of this holy city. Zusammenfassung Yitzhak Reiter presents a picture of the role of Islam in mandatory Jerusalem through the resources of the Waqf. Inhaltsverzeichnis Middle East Quarterly - "...casts new light on a central Islamic institution and on the detailed complexity of the Arab-Israeli conflict." ,Journal of Palestine Studies - "The book is an excellent resource and reference book..This is the most detailed work estant on this subject and its publication is of great importance to those studying not only the waaf institution but also the institutional structures of the Muslim community prior to 1948."Middle East Journal - "Throughout the book, however, Reiter is careful to illustrate and document his other findings, and thus provides a useful contribution to the coniderable literature on awqaf...Overall, however, within the limits the author has set for himself, the book remains a valuable addition to the literature on Muslim institutions."MESE Bulletin - "This is a valuable study...and an important work which sheds light on several features of waqf creation and administration...
