Endowment for Libraries in Islamic Civilization: Andalusia as a Model

Abstract

This article examines the endowment of libraries in Islamic civilization, with Andalusia presented as a representative model of the relationship between waqf, knowledge dissemination, book preservation, and public access to learning. It begins by framing waqf as a religious and social institution with a clear scholarly function, then shows how the establishment of libraries and the endowment of books became major expressions of the Islamic concern for knowledge. The article presents examples of mosque libraries and libraries attached to scholarly institutions in Andalusia, including those associated with Córdoba, Toledo, and other centers of learning. It explains how such libraries made valuable books available to students and scholars, supported copying and circulation, and preserved intellectual heritage. The article also highlights the civilizational role of waqf in strengthening scholarly communication, encouraging authorship, and moving knowledge beyond private ownership into wider social benefit. It concludes that the endowment of books and libraries was one of the distinguished features of Islamic civilization and a reflection of Muslim commitment to learning, preservation, and cultural transmission.