Waqf, Health, and Education in Iran and the Ottoman Empire

Document Type : Conference Paper

Authors

1 Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of History of Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

A review of credible academic sources and historical documents reveals that waqf served as a fundamental socio-economic mechanism that facilitated the establishment, funding, and sustainability of hospitals and medical schools in Iran and the Ottoman Empire. While both empires used waqf to create self-sufficient and sustainable healthcare infrastructure, significant differences exist in the scale of the institutions and the roles of key patrons. The Ottoman system, exemplified by the grand Süleymaniye Complex and the prominent involvement of court women as waqf patrons, highlights a more centralized and bureaucratic approach. In contrast, Iranian examples from the Ilkhanate (1256-1356 C.E.) period to the Qajar (1796-1925 C.E.) era reflect remarkable initiatives that were often less centralized, driven by powerful viziers and individual benefactors. This study underscores that waqf was not merely a charitable act, but a dynamic and vital institution for social and scientific advancement. It ensured the continuity of medical services and educational activities, independent of the political and economic fluctuations of governments.

Keywords

References

  1. Fazlallah Hamadani, R., 1977. Waqf-nameh Rab’-e Rashidi. Edited by M. Minoui and I. Afshar. Tehran: Osveh.
  2. Gunergun, F., Otker, S., and Ebrahimnejad, H., 2015. The Role of Waqf in the Development of Hospital and Medical Education Institutions in the Ottoman Empire and 19th-Century Iran. Translated by I. Nabipour and E. Nabipour. Bushehr: Bushehr University of Medical Sciences and Health Services.
  3. Montazer Ghaem, A., Hosseini, S., and Azimi, K., 2012. The Waqf System in Islamic Hospitals from the Beginning until the Start of the Ottoman Empire. Tarikh-e Islam, 13(52), pp. 183-213.
  4. Sayedzadeh Motlagh, S., 2011. A Study of the Waqf Institution and Its Function from the Period of Nasser al-Din Shah to the End of the Qajar Era in Tehran. MA Thesis. Islamic Azad University.
  5. Shavandi, K., Kamranifar, A. and Barani, M., 2020. The Role and Status of Court Women in the Waqf System of the Ottoman Empire from the Reign of Suleiman the Magnificent to the End of the Reign of Abdul Hamid II. Pazhooheshnameh-ye Tarikh, 15(60), pp. 2-29.
Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 14, Suppl. 1
The 2nd History of Medicine Meeting: Entangled Histories: Contribution of Iran and Türkiye to the Development of Medical Sciences; 2025 Oct 7-10; Shiraz, Iran
October 2025
Pages 91-94

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