Islamic Waqf Buildings and their Influense in Sustaining the Urban Fabrics of Historic Cities/ Case Study: The Old Town of Nablus City

Islamic Waqf was perceived in the early twentieth century as a system that has become to an end in our contemporary society. it was negatively reflected as concept in both theory and practice and was observed in the shrinkage of Waqf agricultural land and assets and in the deterioration of its physical assets in the historic centers in Islamic cities. As a result, the need to reconsider the Waqf system has become necessary in order to study its relationship with cultural heritage in our contemporary life and explore and trace its significance role in sustaining our historic environment. This study will attempt to understand the concept of Waqf and how it has been applied as a system based on management framework and administrative structure through history. The research will be based on Waqf buildings during the ottoman period in the city of Nablus, Palestine, as a case study. Waqf court deeds and archives will be the main reference. In particular the study will trace the relation of Waqf as a system and its influence on conservation of cultural heritage in the city of Nablus and to see in which way its methods and approaches is similar to our present practices and how much it has been effective in sustaining our historic environment.