ABSTRACT
The globally known 21st Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are so important to all low and middle-income Muslim countries. Deficits in public budgets and shortages of financial resources are among the major constraints that stand against proper or full implementation of such targets. Extra efforts ought to be made by public and non-governmental organizations to support governments in getting over such fiscal and financial problems. The waqf system, which is well established in Islamic culture, played a remarkable role in providing free education, medical treatment, homes for the poor and homeless, clean water and other utilities during the medieval period. However, the waqf in Muslim societies has, with some exceptions, for several political, legislative, economic and cultural reasons, been either decaying or stagnating over the last five centuries. The last 50 years have witnessed new waqf enterprises in several countries, but not necessarily concerning SDGs. This chapter aims at presenting fresh proposals that would help in reviving the role of waqf in the manner that is supportive to sustainable development efforts in Muslim countries. Strategies for enhancing the mobilization of waqf resource at the macro level are displayed. The SDGs are discussed, and their relative importance and priorities are determined from an Islamic perspective. Thereby the chapter analyses the best allocation and employment of the enhanced waqf resources in the manner that would best achieve Islamic sustainable development goals within Muslim countries.
