RIYADH, 25 March 2005 — The three-day symposium on “Rulings and Endowments” concluded yesterday with a call to set up an ad hoc committee comprising officials of the ministries of Islamic affairs and justice to frame a code of bye laws for texisting endowment laws of the Kingdom.
The concluding session of the conference, sponsored by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, was attended by its minister, Ibrahim Asheikh, his deputy, Abdul Rahman Al-Matroudi and Deputy Minister of Justice Dr. Abdullah Al-Yahya.
Addressing the delegates, Asheikh said that a set of recommendations made at the concluding session would be referred to higher authorities for action.
The delegates felt that bye laws are necessary to interpret the endowment laws for the benefit of people who wish to avail themselves of the services rendered by the ministry.
“These bye laws should set out guidelines for the trustees of endowments in regard to their duties, obligations and their accountability toward the trusts,” the delegates said.
Taking note of abandoned endowments all over the Kingdom, the delegates suggested that such neglected properties should be documented and utilized for charitable purposes.
They urged the ministries of justice and Islamic affairs to form an ad hoc body to identify and form an inventory of all abandoned endowments in order to make use of them for the good of society. The conference also called on the Ministry of Social Affairs to offer suitable rewards to people who provide information on such sites.
It was also recommended that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs should publish a regular gazette to inform the public of the availability of endowments and its plans for management, sale and investments.
While stressing the need for streamlining the efforts of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in the management of endowments, it requested the donors of endowments to supervise their trusts so that they can be satisfied with their respective charities.
