Theoretical Implications of the Nazham Model for Reconstructing Nazhir Competence in Productive Waqf Management

Abstract

Professional management of productive waqf requires nazhir competence that extends beyond jurisprudential knowledge and administrative routines. This study examines how nazhir competence can be reconstructed by integrating individual capabilities, the institutional ecosystem, and maqasid al-shari'ah. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed in Banda Aceh. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis involving stakeholders from waqf governance, public institutions, nazhir organizations, academia, and the community. Data were analyzed through data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, while credibility was supported through source, technique, and time triangulation as well as member checking. The findings identify five interrelated competence domains: religious, managerial, entrepreneurial, social and partnership, and administrative and legal competence. These domains were synthesized into the NAZHAM Model, which consists of three connected components: core nazhir competencies, the supporting waqf-management ecosystem, and maqasid al-shari'ah as the normative outcome orientation. The model reframes nazhir competence from an individual attribute into a systemic capacity that emerges through the interaction between personal capability and institutional support. The study contributes a context-bound conceptual framework for professional development, certification, evaluation, and stakeholder coordination in productive waqf management, while broader empirical validation remains necessary.