Jagir

Definition of "Jagir"

An urdu word. A piece of land donated to a person by the state. The owner enjoys absolute rights on the land as a feudal lord. The jagWr is generally perceived as an institution of exploitation. The Islamic concept is, however, different. The Arabic equivalent is al-’iqta‘. The donation, in the Islamic state, must be in consideration for significant national service by the donee and the donation must be subject to the laws of the state. By injunctions on other aspects of land tenancy system, possibilities of exploitation have also been minimized. See also al-’iqta‘.