This article first offers a historical overview of vakufs in the land known today as Bosnia and Herzegovina. It then briefly outlines the role that the Islamska zajednica u Bosni i Hercegovini (Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Vakufska direkcija (Vakuf Directorate) have played in the oversight of the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s vakufs. The final section of this article offers an original case study of the Gazi Husrev-Begov Vakuf where, via original document analysis and oral interviews conducted with the administrative leadership of the Gazi Husrev-Begov Vakuf, we discuss its leadership structure, unique rules and regulations, and overall functioning within the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s broader Islamic institutional apparatus. We will conclude by arguing that, by and large, vakufs have been effectively managed in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s over the years and that they share both Weberian and distinctly non-Weberian traits which make them a unique case to further explore when looking at non-Western models of administration.

The current theme issue of Halduskultuur is one of the publications emerging from “Islamic Public Value” (IPV), a John Templeton Foundation grant based at University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (UCL IIPP), of which the co-editors, and the authors, are members. The project aims to uncover, and present as legitimate, the perspectives of otherwise underrepresented and underexplored Islamic institutions undertaking polycentric governance and administration and creating public value to better the lives of their constituents and neighbours, and this is the publication with a specific, one might even say classic, Governance focus.

This special issue of Halduskultuur addresses the practice of Islamic institutions and values in Public Administration (PA) in various Asian countries. Although it only covers four countries in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Cambodia, this depiction will provide a way to strengthen the study of Islamic Public Value as part of the effort to develop a new paradigm of Non-Western Public Administration (NWPA). The publication in this special issue is part of the “Islamic Public Value: Theory, Theology, and Practice of Indigenous Cooperative Governance Institutions” project supported by the John Templeton Foundation and hosted by the Institute of Innovation of Public Purpose, University College London.

This article addresses issues explored in the research project, funded by the John Templeton Foundation, and published in the book, ‘Islamic Public Value: theory, practice, and administration of indigenous cooperative institutions,’ edited by Wolfgang Drechsler, Salah Chafik and Rainer Kattel. This special edition of Halduskultuur, is another of several outputs from the work. This article engages with a range of observations regarding the role of Islam in historical, cultural and political terms in public administration. We begin by asking, ‘How do we know what we know?,’ and link it to the growing competition to Western Public Administration posed by other perspectives and understandings, in particular the wider concept of Islamic Public Value from a range of countries, comprising the world’s largest Muslim country (Indonesia), some of the smaller European Islamic populations (including Kosova), and, a range of post-Soviet Islamic republics. The work in this research project, including in the book, returns the notions of context and temporality to the study and understanding of Islamic Public Administration; the history and impact of Islamic governance on Europe and the rest of the world especially from the time of the capture of Damascus onwards and the halt of the eastward expansion of Arab armies after the battle of the river Talas in 751. Though trade along the Silk Road continued to expand Islamic influence. As Ruskin Bond observed, ‘The past is always with us, for it feeds the present,’ The work that has emerged from this project explores and expands our knowledge of the interaction between different systems and cultures in a refreshing and instructive way.

We publish here the moderated conversation among four scholar-statesmen with a special focus on public administration, introduced in the text, that took place as a panel discussion at the second international Public Administration Reform conference in Prishtina, Kosova, on 26 September 2024. Based on the actual transcript, all participants edited their remarks for publication and were free to expand or even delete, but the colloquial panel style had to be retained and no notes were added, but – given the nature of the panelists – still not all answers actually address the questions asked. Nonetheless, we believe that this unique constellation of experts in at least three dimensions makes the discussion and its contents both relevant and interesting for readers of Halduskultuur.

The current theme issue of Halduskultuur is one of the publications emerging from “Islamic Public Value,” a John Templeton Foundation grant based at University College London’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (UCL IIPP), of which the three co-editors, and the authors, are members. The project aims to uncover, and present as legitimate, the perspectives of otherwise underrepresented and underexplored Islamic institutions undertaking polycentric governance and administration and creating public value to better the lives of their constituents and neighbors.

This study aims to examine Islamic Public Administration (IPA) as a non-Western governance paradigm, focusing on its implementation through inclusive youth community services. Based on Islamic values of justice, compassion, and social responsibility, we examine IPA through a principal-agent theory in which faith-based groups behave as agents answerable to both God and society. By applying these principles, faith communities’ social provision has effectively become supplements to government social services. These collective efforts occur particularly at the neighborhood level, where vulnerable people can be reached easier by non-state social service providers within such communities. These inclusive social services show that faith-often Sufi-based networks do not encourage extremism but instead support justice and inclusion for everyone regardless of their religion. This study argues for IPA as a morally sound and bureaucratically legitimate model for public administration as an alternative to secular government, particularly in multicultural and multireligious settings.

Religion-based value administration has been an integral part of all societies since ancient historical periods. This article explores the intersection of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and Islamic Public Value (IPV) within the socio-political and educational framework of southern Thailand, focusing on the Faculty of Islamic Sciences (FIS) at Prince of Songkla University. Amidst a century-long conflict and challenges to multicultural citizenship, the FIS has emerged as a vital institution for fostering self-reliant Pattani Muslim citizens. By aligning Thailand’s development policies with Islamic values, the faculty addresses the dual imperatives of preserving ethno-religious identity and promoting social cohesion. The historical evolution of the FIS, its role in higher education, and its alignment with national policies underscore its transformative impact on local communities and its contribution to peace-building and integration in a diverse society.

Drawing on participant observations, desk research, and ethnographic fieldwork in Kroch Chhmar and Chhlong districts, this note explores the Cham Muslim community of Cambodia and their journey over the last half-century, focusing on their self-administration through Islamic principles and traditional institutions. The Cham endured devastating losses during the Khmer Rouge regime, which targeted their religious and cultural identity, resulting in over half the population perishing. Centered in Kroch Chhmar, survivors began rebuilding their community post-1979, reviving language, traditions, and religious practices. Key institutions such as the ahl-mushawara and the hakem have been instrumental in their governance and resilience, fostering community service, education, and cultural preservation. This remarkable resurgence underscores the Cham’s strength and commitment to their heritage.