Longevity of the Ottoman ‘Imaret'

Rod Thomson 
Student, California State University, Chico 

In the Ottoman Empire, social welfare and humanitarian relief was provided by the institution known as Waaf. Rod Thomson examines this centuries-old tradition, which is still in existence today in parts of the Middle East. Waaf is defined in Islamic law as a good deed that goes on into perpetuity. TheImaret is a soup kitchen that is part of a larger complex to provide humanitarian aid to those in need. 

Recorded: May 1, 2014