The Waqf System in Safavid Isfahan: Religious Authority, Urban Development, and Socio-Economic Transformation

Abstract

The institution of waqf (endowment), a significant component of Islamic legal and social traditions, is based on allocating property for charitable purposes and ensuring its perpetual benefit to society. As a structure that prohibits the sale or personal use of endowed property, the waqf system historically played a crucial role in promoting public welfare, supporting education, and financing religious infrastructure across the Islamic world. During the Safavid era—particularly in the 16th and 17th centuries—Isfahan emerged as a major political, cultural, and economic center. The city’s reconstruction under Shah Abbas I was largely supported by waqf resources.This article examines the functions of the waqf system in Safavid Isfahan, the endowment policies of Shah Abbas I, and the influence of waqfs on the city’s urban planning and socio-economic development. Drawing on primary sources such as Iskandar Beg Munshi, Hasan Beg Rumlu, and Evliya Çelebi, as well as subsequent historical research, the study analyzes the religious, economic, and social significance of waqfs and explores the transformation of Isfahan into a religious and administrative center of the Safavid Empire.