Endowment and charity organization

1- cultural objectives:

Providing support and assistance for printing publication and publicity of Islamic and Quranic sciences and knowledge and cultural works through the revenues of endowments letters.

2- Description of cultural tasks

- Supervising the publication of monthlies, quarterlies and any other publications by the organization.

- Supervising the preparation, arrangement and conducting of research, translation and publication of books and propagation of Islamic teachings and carrying out Islamic studies.

- Running of libraries of the organization.

- Supervising and paying attention to gathering and preserving hand writhen, old, precious and richly printed Quran.

- Supervising the printing and publication of the holy Quran in various sizes to ensure their correctness and desirable quality.

- Encouraging people to become familiar with endowment and benevolent works through publications and mass media

- Cooperation with other concerned organizations on holding of contests on memorization and recitation of the holy Quran.

- Supervising the criteria and regulations for judgment of holy Quran memorization and recitation contests in national and internation competitions.

- Supervising the establishment of judging council and in viting foreign recites, scholars and judges.

- Supervising the appointment of judges for Quranic competitions, arranged by other organizations.

- Supervising preparation, arrangement and conducting of educational programs and memorization of the holy Quran are providing guidelines to provincial bureaus on holding study courses and Quranic competitions.

- Supervising the preparation, arrangement and holding of holy Quran memorization, recitation and interpretation contests in various national and international levels.

- Supervising the relationship with domestic and international organizations and requires coordination's with foreign ministry, ministry of intelligence, culture and Islamic guidance, Islamic republic of Iran broadcasting (IRIB) and other concerned establishments with respect to promotion of the culture of endowment, teaching of the holy Quran and Quranic competitions.

- Supervising the selection and sending of memorizers, reciters and edges of the holy Quran to Islamic countries.

- Supervising the selection of clergies and Islamic propagalors to countries deprives regions for Islamic propagation.

- Supervising the adoption and submission of appropriate methods for running the affairs of the endowed libraries based on the will of endowers.

- Supervising and coordinating the religious gatherings and ceremonies in various occasions aimed at promding Islamic teachings and traditions as well as honoring and encouraging people to take part in benevolent activities and making endowments.

3- The new organization chart

4- History of the endowment and charity organization:

There is no accurate information available about the administrative structures of the safarian era (245 – 290 Hijgat) which was the first Iranian government in post-Islamic era but in the administrative organizations of samanian dynasty (261- 389 Hijrat) there is a reference to endowment Divan (depertment) which was responsible for the affairs of mosques and endowed lands. It is said the before the establishment of endowment Divan, judges were responsible for running the affairs of endowed properties.

The administrative foundation of endowment was laid during Safavid era. At that time, the affairs of endowment was trusted to a one of the nobilities who was usually a spiritual as well as administrative and state official and the post was called as Sadr Al Sodor, minister of endowment or chief endowment accountant  (Mostofi).

During Qajar dynasty, the endowment affair was chaotic and during the premiership of sepahsalr, along with some reforms, discussions were held about improving the situation of endowment and some instructions were issued to this effect.

Following the constitutional revolutions and foundation of constitution government in 1906 and following the ratification of the civic law, for a period of time the justice ministry was responsible for running the affairs of endowments but upon the establishment of ministry of science, endowment and fine arts in 1910, the officials of the newly formed ministry took care of the endowment affairs and in provincial districts, the local official of the sid ministry became responsible for managing the affairs of endowed properties and site.

In January 1924 the new low governing the affairs of endowments consisting of ten articles was approved by the parliament and a year later the relevant by law was approved and issued by the cabinet. By 1949, the endowment department in the capital (Tehran) were separated from education ministry but in provinces the head of education and endowment department was assigned a signal individual but in 1949 provincial endowment departments were detached from education departments and became independent.

In Dec. 05, 1964 upon the detachment law of the education ministry, the endowment organization became a legal entity and accordance to article 4 of the same article, this organization was affiliated to prime minister's office. Following the establishment of the endowment general directorate, its budget and employees were detached from the education ministry and joined the endowment organization and the deputy prime minister was appointed as the head of the newly established organization.

In the detachment law of the education ministry the "supreme council of endowment" was also stipulated.

Following the victory of glorious Islamic revolution and establishment of the government of Islamic republic, the organization structure and authorities of the endowment organization were revised ad on Dec. 22, 1984 the Islamic consultative assembly (parliament) approved the new structure of this organization and its detachment from the prime minister's office. The new establishment under the name of Hajj, endowment and charity organization became affiliated to the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance. The head of the organization is appointed by the religious jurisprudent (the supreme leader).

5- Scope of the activities:

- Administration of public endowments without guardian or unknown guardian and specified endowments and Islamic sites and three ruminants and confinements alms and vows and any property and asset other than endowments assigned for public welfare and charity and charity institutions and associations which government or other authorized authorities put under the jurisdiction of the organization based on relevant laws and regulations.

- Expansion, renovation and repairing of endowment premises and Islamic holy sites in order to increase their revenues and better utilization.

- expanding assistance to publication of Islamic works and propagation of Islamic teachings and Quranic sciences, cultural, social, sanitary, medical services and charity works and welfare activities through the revenues of holy sites based on the endowment letters.