By Language: Waqf means retention and prevention, so it is said that it I made an endowment, meaning retained or allocated something in particular. Replacing this meaning with the word (Stopping) is considered poor and unacceptable language.
Idiomatically: keeping the property from owning it for any person, and giving the benefit in charity to a permissible bank (spending channel). The Property is either a house, a garden, or cash.
The difference between the donation and the endowment: the endowment is a permanent donation, because the cash endowment is a permanent donation. It is not permissible to sell it, give it in charity, or give it away. Rather, the yields and proceeds are only donated and spent in the areas specified by the Endower. As for donation, it is the donation of money or benefit to others without compensation with the intention of righteousness and good- deed. Donations has many forms, including charity, gift, will, loan, endowment, and sponsorship.
The type of endowment differs according to the different types of beneficiaries, and thus it is divided into three types:
The Family (Children) endowment: What is given in it the benefit for certain individuals or their offspring, whether from relatives or from offspring or others. The Endower may require that it devolves to a charitable entity after the beneficiaries have been suspended (in this case, it is considered a family endowment, starting with a charitable beginning).
Charitable endowment: Its benefit is used in one or more charitable entities, and all that is spent on it is a proximity to Allah, Almighty.
Joint Endowment: What combines a family and charitable endowment.