Basic causes of becoming poor of vakufs in Bosnia and Herzegovina summary

Abstract

The basic causes of loss of vakuf property and the failure of many vakufs in the past were: enemy operations from neighbouring territories, fires, and other elemental disasters, usurpations and agrarian reforms, as well as weakness in the organization and management of vakuf.
The establisher of a vakuf provided, as a rule, sufficient material means for the normal functions of their endowments. If these means became with time insufficient, help came from other vakifs.
It happened that two or more vakufs would join their means for the purpose of making an endowment for efficient. In the period of Austro-Hungarian occupation the State took over many functions of the vakuf as part of its social, humanitarian, cultural or communal programme. Vakufs were not the only institutions that cared for social necessities. The establishing of a Central Vakuf Endowment in accordance with the new time and new necessities, make possible new actions of larger significance, but these possibilities were not completely used.
After the Second World War, and in the conditions of socialist construction the social community became bearer of all activities of a social character. Religion was separated from the State, and the activity of the religious communities and of their institutions was subordinated to the constitution and the regulations of the Basic Law concerning Religios Communities. On the basis of general regulations of nationalisation the property of religious communities that did not serve according to constitution the jobs and necessities of these communities was nationalized. A considerable number of the vakufs profitable properties was nationalized. But, at the same time, by the Basic Law of Protection and Use of Cultural Inheritance a great number of vakuf building nationalized or not was protected and restored, among which some, although very significant culture and historical monuments, were in a State of ruin.
The building of new and restoration of existing buildings as well as necessities in the diaspora, are provided for by the efforts of the whole Islamic community. New collective vakufs have successfully replaced individual ones. New sources of financing are: Organized collecting of zekjat, sadekai-fitr, kurban's skin, membership and other contribution which provide the necessary means for the most necessary needs of the community.