Sultan Mehmed al-Fatih: The Financial Genius Behind Aya Sofia's Waqf

Summary

In this video, we explore the financial decisions of Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, who captured Constantinople in 1453. His strategic use of Islamic endowment (waqf) created sustainable institutions that served the community for centuries. By examining his endowment document, the video highlights his detailed financial planning for the Hagia Sophia Mosque, paying staff and setting up a governance structure. This historical example underscores the importance of sustainable financing for community projects and offers lessons for contemporary leaders to support important causes consistently and effectively.

Takeaways

• 🕌 Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, is celebrated for his conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
• 📜 Mehmed II's financial decisions, particularly the establishment of endowments (waqf), have ensured the sustainability of institutions for centuries.
• 🏛️ He transformed Hagia Sophia into a mosque and supported it through a well-organized endowment.
• 💰 The endowment provided salaries for various roles within the mosque, including imams, muazzins, and caretakers.
• 📝 Mehmed II's endowment document outlined detailed provisions for the mosque's operations and governance.
• 🔍 Regular reviews and audits of the endowment were conducted to ensure transparency and proper management.
• 💡 Mehmed II's approach demonstrates the importance of sustainable financing for strategic projects.
• 🌍 The video suggests that modern wealthy individuals can learn from Mehmed II's model to support important community projects.
• 📊 A balanced approach to financing, including the use of zakat, is essential for the long-term success of community initiatives.
• 📚 The video promotes further learning about Islamic finance through the platform Muslim Money Matters.

Q & A

Who is the main subject of the video?

The main subject of the video is Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror.

What significant event is associated with Sultan Mehmed II?

Sultan Mehmed II is known for conquering Constantinople in 1453, which he then renamed Istanbul.

What was the purpose of converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque?

Converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque was a significant act following the conquest of Constantinople, turning it into a place of worship for Muslims.

What is a 'waqf' and how did Sultan Mehmed II use it?

A 'waqf' is an Islamic endowment of property to be used for charitable or religious purposes. Sultan Mehmed II used it to support the Hagia Sophia mosque, ensuring its maintenance and services for future generations.

How did Sultan Mehmed II's endowment ensure the sustainability of the Hagia Sophia mosque?

His endowment provided specific financial allocations for various roles and duties within the mosque, such as the imam, prayer callers, and caretakers, ensuring the mosque's operations were sustainably funded.

What governance structure did Sultan Mehmed II establish for the endowment?

He established a governance structure where teachers, scholars, imams, and notables would gather every six months to review the endowment document and ensure all conditions were being met.

What lesson can modern-day individuals learn from Sultan Mehmed II's financial decisions?

Modern individuals can learn the importance of creating sustainable financial systems to support long-term community projects and strategic initiatives.

How can high net worth individuals contribute to community projects today?

High net worth individuals can contribute by setting up endowments or dedicating property and finances to support ongoing projects that benefit the community.

What is the significance of ensuring proper financing for strategic projects?

Proper financing ensures that important community projects remain independent, sustainable, and capable of achieving their long-term goals without relying solely on volunteers.

What is the takeaway message regarding small but consistent deeds?

The takeaway is that even small, consistent contributions are valuable and loved by Allah, highlighting the importance of continuous support for beneficial projects, regardless of the scale of contribution.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Sultan Mehmed's Legacy of Sustainable Projects

The video begins by greeting the audience and introducing the topic of Sultan Mehmed II (also known as Mehmed the Conqueror) and his impactful financial decisions. It highlights his conquest of Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) in 1453 and how he transformed Hagia Sophia into a mosque, establishing it as a sustainable institution through the Islamic endowment system, known as 'waqf.' This system ensured continuous funding for the mosque's operations and maintenance through the contributions of wealthy individuals who left property or funds to serve public welfare indefinitely.

05:02

💡 Mehmed the Conqueror’s Strategic Waqf Implementation

Sultan Mehmed II's strategic implementation of the waqf system is further explored, detailing how he meticulously structured the financial support for Hagia Sophia. His endowment document outlined specific salaries for various mosque personnel, including Imams, prayer callers, and maintenance staff, ensuring their roles were financially secured. The waqf document emphasized regular reviews and audits by religious and community leaders to maintain transparency and effectiveness. The video draws parallels between Mehmed's approach and modern sustainable project financing, emphasizing the importance of strategic, long-term financial planning for community benefits.

🏢 Modern Applications of Waqf for Community Benefit

The video transitions to contemporary applications of Mehmed's financial strategies, suggesting how high-net-worth individuals today could use similar endowments to support important causes such as combating Islamophobia and misinformation. It discusses the potential of investing in properties that generate income to fund teams dedicated to these causes. The importance of institutional support and sustainable financing is highlighted, drawing lessons from the zakat system and encouraging consistent, community-focused contributions, no matter how small.

💼 Supporting Sustainable Projects through Consistent Efforts

Emphasizing the significance of consistent support for long-term projects, the video encourages viewers to contribute to important community initiatives, even with small, regular donations. It underscores the value Allah places on consistent deeds, no matter their size. The video concludes by promoting the 'Muslim Money Matters' platform for further learning about finance and economy from an Islamic perspective, encouraging viewers to explore this resource for more detailed content.

Keywords

💡Sultan Mehmed II

Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, was the Ottoman sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453. His strategic financial decisions, such as establishing endowments (waqfs), were pivotal in creating sustainable institutions that served communities for centuries. In the video, he is highlighted as a visionary leader whose actions can teach us about sustainable projects.

💡Constantinople

Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, was the capital of the Byzantine Empire until it was conquered by Sultan Mehmed II in 1453. This event fulfilled a prophecy and marked a significant shift in history. The video discusses how Mehmed's conquest and subsequent financial policies transformed the city and its institutions.

💡Waqf

A waqf is an Islamic endowment of property to be held in trust and used for charitable or religious purposes. Sultan Mehmed II used waqfs to fund and sustain the Hagia Sophia mosque and other institutions. This concept is central to the video's message about creating sustainable community projects through strategic financial planning.

💡Hagia Sophia

Originally a Byzantine cathedral, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque by Sultan Mehmed II after the conquest of Constantinople. The video describes how Mehmed's endowment (waqf) ensured the mosque's financial sustainability and its role in the community. This transformation exemplifies the use of financial strategies for long-term benefits.

💡Endowment Deed

An endowment deed is a legal document that outlines the terms and conditions of a waqf. Sultan Mehmed II's endowment deed for the Hagia Sophia mosque included detailed provisions for the payment and duties of mosque staff, demonstrating his meticulous planning. The video uses this example to emphasize the importance of proper governance in sustainable projects.

💡Sustainable Financing

Sustainable financing refers to financial strategies that ensure long-term support and viability for projects. Sultan Mehmed II's use of waqfs is an early example of sustainable financing. The video advocates for similar approaches in modern community projects, stressing the need for reliable financial support to achieve lasting impact.

💡Islamic Endowment

Islamic endowment, or waqf, is a charitable practice where property is donated for religious or social welfare. The video discusses how Sultan Mehmed II's establishment of waqfs provided ongoing funding for the Hagia Sophia mosque and other institutions, illustrating the enduring benefits of this practice for community development.

💡Community Welfare

Community welfare involves actions and policies aimed at improving the well-being of a community. Sultan Mehmed II's financial decisions, such as establishing waqfs, were designed to serve the welfare of the people. The video encourages similar approaches today to address modern challenges and support community welfare.

💡Islamophobia

Islamophobia is the prejudice against, hatred of, or fear of Islam and Muslims. The video suggests that wealthy individuals could use their resources to combat Islamophobia through sustainable projects. This ties into the broader theme of using strategic financial planning to support causes that benefit humanity.

💡Strategic Projects

Strategic projects are initiatives designed to achieve long-term goals and significant impact. Sultan Mehmed II's establishment of waqfs is presented as a strategic project that provided sustained benefits to the community. The video urges viewers to consider similar strategic approaches for contemporary issues, emphasizing the importance of proper planning and financing.

Highlights

Introduction of Sultan Mehmed II and his financial decisions for sustainable projects.

Sultan Mehmed II, known as Mehmed the Conqueror, fulfilled the prophecy of conquering Constantinople.

Mehmed II converted Hagia Sophia into a mosque in 1453.

Mehmed II established an endowment (waqf) to ensure the sustainability of the mosque.

Waqf is an Islamic endowment used to finance institutions like schools and hospitals.

Mehmed II's waqf deed included detailed financial provisions for mosque staff.

The deed specified daily payments for various mosque roles, including the imam, muezzin, timekeeper, and caretakers.

Mehmed II set up a governance structure for regular review and oversight of the waqf.

Importance of sustainable financing for strategic community projects highlighted.

Encouragement for wealthy individuals to use their resources to support beneficial community activities.

Suggestion to use property investments to generate income for funding important causes.

Balance between commercializing projects and ensuring sustainable financing emphasized.

Zakat recipients include those who collect and manage zakat, indicating a need for institutional support.

Consistency in small deeds is valued, highlighting the importance of sustainable contributions.

Invitation to learn more about Islamic finance and economy on the Muslim Money Matters platform.

Transcripts

asalam alikum my dear friends and

welcome back to the channel today we are

talking about one of the greatest

general of our time Sultan mhmed Al and

what his financial decisions could teach

us about sustainable projects in our

community today so let's begin

bah so today we are talking about Sultan

mhmed fat mhmed the Conqueror this is

the general who conquered the

Constantinople fulfilling the prophecy

when the prophet alai wasallam said

verily you shall conquer Constantinople

what a wonderful leader will her leader

be and what a wonderful Army will that

Army be and we are talking about today's

Istanbul when he conquered the Istanbul

in

1453 he converted a sopia into the

mosque but what he has done in terms of

financial decision turn this place into

the sustainable institution that will

serve um for many many centuries

what he did was he put that institution

as a wak most of you know wak as a

Islamic endowment what that does and

many of Muslim countries would have some

Tye of endowment wak that was left by

very high net worth individual these are

Elites in society very rich and wealthy

who leave certain property that is used

in perpetuity to finance certain

institutions like a school hospitals

build bu whatever is necessary it's a

property that is no more personal

property but it is there to serve the

welfare of the people so this military

genius made wak of deed that supports

this mosque when I visited Istanbul last

year I was visiting a Sophia mosque I

had enormous privilege to pray there

look around and what caught my eye in

that moment was as you enter the

building you see a document there which

is the W of deed of Sultan mhmed F

Sultan mhmed the Conqueror this is

Sultan mmed the conquer

endowment as I was reading I realized a

genius of this man so in his endowment

document after thanking Allah for

victory and Conquest he stipulated the

following conditions he said that

qualify Imam for Friday prayer sermon

and prayer should be paid 15 Dirhams a

day so Dirhams are silver coins Imam who

is leading five daily prayer Sultan owed

15 Dirham per day as well then he list

number of other duties such as

supervision by Quran memorizers Scholars

and those who frequent the mosque in

order to check how everything is done

and what he thought he set up a daily

reciting in the most hierarchy between

people doing various task people doing

all kinds of ceremony and he paid each

one of them he also paid caller to

prayer muin 5 Dirhams a day time keeper

10 Dirhams a day take cares of the

mosque four of them who are cleaning the

mosque opening and closing the doors

three people taking care just of the oil

lamps lighting and extinguishing them

every day five Dirhams a day person who

is super supervising others in their

duties and Reporting back to the

minister of endowment and even deducting

the vages if they were not performing

their duties when I read this I knew we

are talking about somebody who is the

great administrator manager of the

Affairs and as a general your Logistics

the way you are handling finances how

you organizing yourself in order to

sustain whatever you are doing are

critical in the Army and in business and

in life on top of that he set up very

interesting governance structure where

every 6 months you have teachers shakes

Imam notables who are associated with

this endowment would Gather in a

presence of witness to review this

document read it and if there was

anything that was overlooked they would

compensate and restore it what this

shows is that importance of ensuring

that you have proper sustainable

financing for strategic projects that

are of importance to the umah and so

today when we see rampant islamophobia

rampant misinformation maybe some

wealthy in individuals who are looking

for same leadership that mhmed Fati was

executing might think of how can I put

some of my finances or properties into

some of these activities that are

supporting the great causes that benefit

humanity and look it could be as simple

as for these high net worth individuals

as putting some property for rent or

putting some investment think about if

you want to run team of people let's say

who are countering all of islamophobia

negative media you would need a property

that is maybe 105 Million worth that

generates 7 8% in income and you could

reach a million dollar which could find

the entire team of people just like we

have seen here people who are running

the mosque of a sopia for the benefit of

the people so I guess lesson for us is

that something that is of extreme

importance for the community cannot be

left just to volunteers and without

institutional approach to solve the

financing and other issues and we don't

want to commercialize everything though

there has to be a balance but even when

you look at the zakat one of the

categories of zakat recipients are the

people who are collecting zaka so we

have to find a way that if we want to

succeed in the long term we should be

funding and supporting the projects that

we want to remain independent and doing

the right things and if we are not from

those High net worth individuals who can

leave hundreds and thousands of dollars

or Millions we can maybe support with

little that we have projects in our

community that are important no matter

what because at the end of the day Allah

loves the deed even when it is small

that is done consistently so if there is

something that we going to need for a

long time we should make sure that we

Finance it and make it sustainable for

the long

[Music]

time thank you for spending time to

watch this video if you would like to

learn more about finance and economy

from Islamic perspective head to our new

platform Muslim Money Matters where we

go in much greater details regarding the

content until next time my name is Al

chanam alikum

[Music]