A Study of Endowment of Money on the Basis of Imam Khomeini's Viewpoints

Endowment is a good tradition, which is not only confirmed by Islam but also by other religions and religious denominations and even communities and nations. The promotion of endowment has a crucial effect on the economy of the country and through fulfilling cultural, social and economic needs endowment renders outstanding assistance to the people and government. In the past, people normally endowed land, house, garden, and some moveable properties with essential values, but today, with the economic progress, new needs have emerged whose fulfillment is difficult or impossible through traditional methods. On the other hand, the transformation in the nature of money and emergence of prevailing monies that have credit value is very important and play a very crucial role in the current economies. Hence, endowment of money can be a new referent of endowment that offers new financial capacities in the field of endowment and also preserves the constructive role of this institution in the society. There are two viewpoints about the endowment of money: one group of jurisprudents maintain that endowment of money is not correct while others argue that endowment of credit values is congruent with religious values. The present article is an attempt to discuss the said two viewpoints as well as those of Imam Khomeini. Also a model has been offered in this regard.