The System of Endowment in the Hospitals of Islamic Period from the Beginning untill Othmanid time

The System of endowment among Muslims was of considerable development due to excessive emphasis of holy Qur’an, prophetic tradition as well as the encouragement of infallible Imams. The development of the trend of hospital construction all over the Islamic area from Andalusia in the west as far as Transoxania and India in the Islamic east would be the reflection of the particular attention of Islamic civilization toward the medication and treatment affairs of society. At first, the budget and consumptive expenses of Islamic hospitals could be afforded by the benefactors or someone in charge of the construction but the Muslims shortly found that the constant activities of hospitals depend on endowment. Since, through the death of the constructor of hospitals or void of interest of his successors in devoting budget to the hospital or the economical weakness of governments in the next stages, the hospital affairs would be ended. When the hospitals were of dedicated possessions and real properties and theirexpenses could be provided through the income of them, the continuation of their activities would be independent of the weakness and collapse of governments and governors so that the people regardless of any race, religion and ideology could be benefited from free of charge services. The purpose of this writing is linked to the historical investigation of the origin of the income of Islamic hospitals relying on endowments.