Wazifah

Etymology and Translation

Wazifah (Arabic: وظيفة; Turkish: Vazife) stems from the root word waẓafa (وَظّفَ), meaning “to allocate” or “to appoint.” The term signifies various forms of assignments and allocations within Islamic traditions, including the organized recitation of the Quran, financial provisions in religious settings, and as a term used in taxation.

Definitions and Contexts

Quranic Recitation

Wazifah primarily refers to the apportioning of the Quran for timely and systematic recitation. The Quran can be divided into various sections to facilitate this:

• Weekly Recitation: The Quran may be divided into seven sections (manzilat), allowing for the entire scripture to be recited over the course of one week.
• Monthly Recitation: Alternatively, the Quran can be divided into thirty sections (ajza’), enabling complete recitation in one month, as often practiced during the month of Ramadan.

Financial Provisions in Waqf

In the context of waqf (endowment), wazifah refers to the specific financial components assigned to support religious functionaries. This ensures that individuals who manage religious duties and institutions are provided for, reflecting the structured and sustainable financial planning within Islamic charity systems.

Islamic Taxation

In the realm of Islamic economics, wazifah represents a significant source of public revenue derived from land’s productive potential, referred to in types of Islamic taxation:

• Tax obligations tied traditionally to land capability for agricultural production.
• Calculated based on the projected output of land, regardless of actual cultivation, highlighting both a fair and systematic approach to taxation.

Books for Further Studies

Here are some books for in-depth understanding of wazifah and its contexts within Islam:

• The Study Quran by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
• Struggling with the Qur’an: Qur’anic Studies Series by Ziauddin Sardar
• The History Of Islamic Law by Noel J. Coulson
• Ownership and Exploitation of Land and Natural Resources in the Roman World by Paul Erdkamp (Relating historical economic concepts comparable with Islamic perspectives)
• The Islamic Law of Waqf by Minhaji Muhammad

Takeaways and Conclusion

• Wazifah embodies diverse meanings, encompassing religious, financial, and tax-related contexts.
• Understanding intiusions like wazifah requires comprehension of both spiritual practices (like Quranic recitation) and practical applications within Islamic governance and economics.
• Exploring wazifah in terms of its multifunctionality adds depth to the terminological study, opening broad windows for its implications across spiritual and societal frameworks.

In essence, wazifah denotes structured allocations that span spiritual missions to fiscal responsibilities, underlining a significant intertwining of religious life’s spiritual and practical dimensions.