Paper short abstract:

Waqf is an Islamic perpetual charitable institution which can be used to achieve the notion of faith-based development. Waqf can be used a tool to fight climate change for all the countries across the world by planting trees, building water reservoirs and addressing other environmental problems.

Paper long abstract:

Waqf (plural Awqaf) is an Islamic perpetual charitable institution which can be used to achieve the notion of faith-based development. It was established to facilitate the achievement of spiritual and socio-economic ends in early Islamic society and to serve as a means for wealth redistribution from the rich to the poor to achieve socio-economic development. In the contemporary times, Waqf is one of the most apt institutions to achieve the prospects of sustainable development.

With climate change as a menace affecting billions of people around the globe and impacting people in their day to day lives, especially the adverse consequences on their health and well being, it is imperative to look at the role of the religion Islam to address environmental problems and climate change. Hence, Waqf can be used a tool to fight climate change for all the countries across the world.

The mechanism of charity and philanthropic endowments facilitates wealth redistribution and leads to non-income development in terms of health, standard of living and education. In the modern day economy, the role of Waqf has become crucial. It is thus vital that the global Awqaf institutions and the UN departments dealing with the Post-2015 Development Agenda join hands to address the common concerns of the poorest as well as the richest which is climate change. The paper is based on the qualitative research paradigm and will shed light on the implications of Waqf for environmental protection such as planting frees, building water reserves and so on.