Australia’s Muslim community stands at an important historical moment. Over the past five decades, Muslims in Australia have built mosques, schools, organisations, businesses and communities across the nation.
From a relatively small migrant population in the 1970s, Australian Muslims today number close to one million people and represent one of the country’s most educated, professionally accomplished and economically established communities.
Yet despite this remarkable growth, one critical institution remains largely absent from the Australian Muslim landscape: a strong, trusted and professionally governed national waqf institution.
The time has come to establish one.
Islam is not new to Australia. Long before large scale migration, Muslim Makassan traders from present day Indonesia travelled to northern Australia and interacted with Indigenous communities.
In the eighteenth century, Muslim Afghan cameleers helped open inland Australia by transporting supplies across difficult terrain and supporting exploration, communication and infrastructure projects. Their contribution remains embedded in Australian history.
Modern Muslim migration accelerated after the dismantling of the White Australia Policy in the 1970s. Muslims arrived from Lebanon, Turkey, Bosnia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Africa and many other regions of the world.
Many came as skilled migrants, professionals, academics, engineers, doctors, small business owners and entrepreneurs seeking a better future for their families.
Over time, these communities established themselves successfully in Australian society while maintaining strong religious and cultural identities.
Today, Muslims are represented across every sector of national life including medicine, education, academia, business, law, public service, technology and community leadership.
Importantly, the first large wave of Muslim migrants who arrived during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s are now entering retirement age or have retired.
According to census trends, the Australian Muslim population is also steadily ageing. In the 2021 Census, more than 120,000 Muslims in Australia were aged 45 years and over, including tens of thousands aged above 70 and 80. By 2026, that figure is likely to be significantly higher as the post 1970s migration generation moves deeper into retirement.
This is a major demographic transition for Australian Muslims.
Many in this generation spent decades working hard, paying mortgages, building businesses, accumulating superannuation and investing in property. A significant number are now financially secure in their later years.
Unlike earlier decades when Muslim communities in Australia were still struggling to establish themselves economically, today there is growing intergenerational wealth within sections of the community.
This demographic reality creates both an opportunity and a responsibility.
Across the Muslim community there are many individuals who sincerely wish to leave behind a lasting charitable legacy after their death. Many want their wealth to continue serving Islam, the community and society long after they are gone.
Yet there is currently no nationally recognised waqf institution in Australia with the scale, governance and credibility necessary to channel this aspiration into a sustainable national project.
This is where the concept of waqf becomes critically important.
Waqf is one of the great civilisational institutions of Islam. It refers to the permanent dedication of wealth or property for charitable and community benefit in the path of Allah. Once an asset becomes waqf, it is preserved permanently while its income or benefits are used for public good.
For centuries, waqf institutions funded some of the most important social, educational and charitable services throughout the Muslim world.
Mosques, schools, universities, hospitals, libraries, orphanages, public kitchens, water systems and welfare institutions were often established and sustained through waqf endowments.
Historically, waqf was not limited to rulers or wealthy elites. Ordinary believers contributed according to their means because they understood that waqf represented an ongoing charity that continues rewarding a person after death.
The Prophet Muhammad (s) taught that when a person dies, all their deeds come to an end except three: continuing charity, beneficial knowledge and a righteous child who prays for them. Waqf embodies this idea of continuing charity or sadaqah jariyah.
For many ageing Australian Muslims, this teaching carries deep spiritual meaning. They want their life’s work and blessings to continue benefiting others after their passing. They want to contribute to something larger than themselves and leave behind a legacy that serves future generations.
Unfortunately, the absence of a trusted national waqf framework means that much of this potential remains fragmented and unrealised.
Some families donate informally to local causes. Others leave charitable instructions in wills. Some support overseas projects. While these contributions are valuable, they often lack strategic coordination and long term institutional impact within Australia itself.
A professionally managed national waqf institution could transform this situation entirely.
Imagine a future where Australian Muslims collectively establish a permanent endowment fund worth hundreds of millions of dollars over time. Even conservative estimates suggest enormous potential.
If only 5,000 financially established Muslim families across Australia made a one off waqf contribution averaging $100,000 each through property, investments, business assets, wills or cash endowments, a national waqf institution could accumulate approximately $500 million in foundational assets within its first five years of operation.
Even a more modest scenario where 2,000 families contributed an average one off amount of $50,000 each would still generate around $100 million in foundational waqf assets.
These figures are entirely achievable within a community approaching one million people, particularly given the increasing number of Muslim professionals, business owners and retirees with accumulated wealth and property.
The long term implications would be transformative.
Assuming a professionally managed diversified return of 5 to 7 per cent annually, a $500 million waqf portfolio could generate between $25 million and $35 million every year in sustainable income without diminishing the core capital base.
That income alone could permanently support mosques, Islamic schools, scholarships, aged care facilities, youth services, refugee support programs, domestic violence initiatives, mental health services and community welfare projects across Australia.
Even a smaller $100 million waqf fund could generate millions annually for community development and charitable services.
This would fundamentally change the financial future of Muslim institutions in Australia.
Instead of constantly fundraising for operational survival, organisations could focus on long term planning, service quality, research, innovation and community impact. Muslim institutions could become more stable, professional and future focused.
Importantly, a modern Australian waqf institution should not be inward looking. Islamic charitable tradition has historically benefited wider society, regardless of faith or background.
A national waqf body in Australia could contribute to homelessness initiatives, environmental projects, interfaith engagement, disaster relief and social welfare programs that benefit all Australians.
This would strengthen not only Muslim communities but also Australia’s broader social fabric.
There is another important reason why waqf matters today.
Many Muslim institutions in Australia remain financially vulnerable despite decades of growth. Mosques often rely heavily on fundraising drives and volunteer fatigue.
Community organisations struggle with uncertain funding. Welfare programs depend on sporadic donations. Schools face growing operational and infrastructure costs.
A strong waqf model creates long term financial sustainability. Instead of constantly fundraising for short term survival, institutions can focus on strategic planning, quality services and future growth.
Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Turkey have demonstrated how modern waqf systems can operate effectively within contemporary legal and financial frameworks.
Australia can develop its own uniquely Australian waqf model based on strong governance, transparency, regulatory compliance and professional investment management.
However, success will depend entirely on trust and credibility.
Australian Muslims are highly educated and financially aware. They will only entrust their assets to an institution that demonstrates integrity, transparency and professionalism. Any national waqf body must therefore operate with the highest standards of governance.
It should include independent oversight, audited financial reporting, professional investment expertise, legal compliance and broad community representation.
It must be free from factionalism, ethnic divisions and personality driven politics. The institution should belong to the entire community.
This requires visionary leadership from respected scholars, professionals, business leaders and community organisations across Australia.
Several practical steps could now be considered.
First, national Muslim organisations should convene a serious national summit on waqf involving Islamic scholars, lawyers, accountants, financial experts, philanthropists and community leaders.
Second, a national feasibility study should examine legal models, governance frameworks, investment structures and lessons from successful waqf institutions internationally.
Third, the community should establish an independent national waqf foundation governed by professional standards comparable to major Australian charitable institutions.
Fourth, public education campaigns are needed so ordinary Muslims understand how waqf works and how they can participate through wills, property, investments or ongoing contributions.
Finally, transparency must be absolute. Annual reports, audited accounts, independent boards and public accountability will determine whether community trust can be achieved.
The establishment of a national waqf institution should no longer remain a distant aspiration discussed occasionally at conferences and community gatherings. The demographic, financial and institutional conditions now exist to make it possible.
The first generation of Muslim migrants helped build the foundations of Australian Muslim life through sacrifice, donations and volunteerism. The next challenge is to build enduring institutions capable of sustaining future generations with dignity and stability.
This generation has an opportunity to create something transformative.
A properly governed national waqf institution could become one of the most important legacies Australian Muslims leave for their children and grandchildren.
It could convert private wealth into permanent public benefit. It could strengthen Islamic institutions, support vulnerable people and contribute positively to Australian society for generations to come.
Most importantly, it would allow many Muslims to fulfil a deeply cherished spiritual aspiration: to leave this world knowing that their wealth continues serving humanity long after they are gone.
The time for serious national conversation on waqf in Australia has arrived.
While illustrative rather than predictive, even conservative modelling suggests the potential scale could be significant.
If only 5,000 financially established Australian Muslim households made a one-off endowment contribution averaging $100,000 each, a national institution could accumulate approximately $500 million in foundational assets within five years. A more conservative scenario in which 2,000 households each contribute $50,000 would still generate around $100 million.
At an annual investment return of 5-7%, a $500 million endowment could generate between $25 million and $35 million in sustainable annual income without depleting capital. This shifts the model away from episodic fundraising toward long-term financial sustainability.