وقفية ال الدباس في محكمة يافا الشرعية بتاريخ ١ رمضان ١٢٧٥ / ٤ نيسان ١٨٥٩ ومدلولاتها العمرانية والإقتصادية والإجتماعية

Abstract

A copy of the Dabbas family’s waqfiyya dated 1 Ramadan 1275 H./ 4 April 1859 exists in the records of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Damascus. The description of the large number of endowed properties from the Dabbas sons, together with details of propert,y including houses, goods, soap makers, orange groves, fields, orchards, as well as soap, olive oil, rice, and various moneys constitute the core of this article. In addition, this waqfiyya is dated 1859, a year after of the Ottoman state’s promulgation of the land law. The new land law attempted to settle the ownership of the state lands, especially those given in feudalism or for tax questions during the Tanzimat: the peasants residing on them and benefiting from them, became their owners. However, the opposite happened because peasants were afraid of register their names in the state records as it made them subject to taxes and compulsory conscription. Prominent and influential persons took advantage of this point and registered a large number of the state (governmental) lands under their own names, in what was known as the absent possession, considering them just as a commodity.