Cash Waqfs: the Istanbul Practgce Gn 17th Century According To Accounting Books

Abstract

turCash waqf (foundation) means to dedicate some money from one's possessions and to establish a waqf on that amount of money and to offer it to the benefit of people generally or to allocate it to make use of them by some segments of the community particularly. In this meaning, in view of its theory and implementation these kinds of waqfs have caused disputes. Although during one period it was disputed, cash waqfs were very extensively established during the Ottoman Empire and thank to these waqfs much diversified services have been carried out. In this study, legal status of cash waqfs has been evaluated shortly and then the data like incomes, outcomes, receivables and others of accounting books of as sample selected 50 waqfs amongst those acting particularly in 17th Century in Istanbul have been analyzed.