Vakfiye: Historical Process and Diplomatic Implications

Szerző / Szerkesztő: Henry Montgomery•6 October 2026

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Vakfiye is also referred to in sources as vakfname, hüccet-i vakfiye, or şerh-i vakfiye. However, all these terms revolve around the document’s primary function: to serve as a certificate of existence for a foundation. When a property becomes a foundation, it ceases to be the property of its owner and becomes an asset that is stored in the presence of God, and therefore cannot be sold, transferred, or inherited. This transformation is achieved not through an oral declaration of intent, but through a written and witnessed document. The text of the vakfiye confirms the founder’s will with legal certainty, transforming the intention into an operational mechanism that will last for generations.