Transregional Comparison of the Waqf and Similar Donations in Human History1

Abstract

We find commonalities between kishin donation in medieval Japan and Islāmic waqf; All the land belonged to the state and the usufruct and the gain were transferred in the form of donation, and transacted in the form of sale and lease, while the donation could not in principle be cancelled. As similar donations to share profit were in Christian Europe and we should analyses donation as a universal system to solve the dilemma between economy and religion, and private and societal interests.