mutawalli

Arabic/Persian · moo-ta-WAL-ee · Family and succession

Meaning. The manager or superintendent of a wakf property.

A mutawalli manages a wakf: he collects its income, maintains the property, and applies the income to the purposes named by the founder (wakif). He is not an owner of the property and is not strictly a trustee, because ownership in a wakf vests in God; he is a manager or superintendent.

He cannot sell, mortgage or lease the property beyond the permitted period without the permission of the court or the Wakf Board. He may be removed for misconduct. The founder may appoint himself, a relative or anyone else as mutawalli, and a woman or a non-Muslim may be appointed for a secular office, but not where religious duties are involved.

Example

The mutawalli was removed for leasing the wakf land to his son at a nominal rent without the Wakf Board's sanction.

In Indian law

Waqf Act, 1995 (as amended)

mutawalli

Example

In Indian law

See also

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