Religious Endowment Institution during the Pahlavi Era in Tabriz Based on Archival Documents

Abstract

The institution of waqf (Islamic religious endowment) is one of Iran’s longstanding institutions with wide-ranging economic, religious, and social dimensions. In situations where the political environment does not allow for economic activity, the tendency toward charitable affairs tends to increase. Based on the available documents, waqf witnessed a significant increase during the reign of Reza Shah. The objective of this article, employing a descriptive-analytical method, is to address the following questions: What were the reasons behind the expansion of waqf in Tabriz during Reza Shah’s era? What functions did endowed properties serve? The findings of the study indicate that prominent landowners turned to waqf as a strategy to protect their estates from potential royal seizure, often motivated by personal interests and in old age, aiming to evade taxation or to display religious piety. In the endowment documents, subjects such as the guardianship of orphans and public-benefit projects—such as the construction of schools, libraries, and workshops for the needy—are rarely observed. The majority of endowment intentions were primarily focused on fulfilling the religious obligations of the donors, often driven more by custom and habit than by a genuine concern for public welfare.