Waqf Amendment Bill / Will Muslims benefit or lose from the amendment in Waqf? Know everything

Waqf Amendment Bill: Whatever good or bad will happen in the name of Waqf in the Parliament of India on 2 and 3 April 2025, its seeds were sown on 8 August 2024. In the budget session called after Narendra Modi formed the government for the third time, the government brought two bills. First - Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and second - Muslim Waqf (Cancellation) Bill, 2024. Both these bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha. The government said that through this, the properties of Waqf will be managed better and the functioning of the Waqf Board will be made more effective.

What is Waqf?

Waqf is a property that is reserved for religious and charitable purposes. According to Islamic laws, this property can be used only for religious and social purposes, and it cannot be made the private property of any person again.

History of Waqf in India

The history of Waqf in India goes back to the era of Delhi Sultanate. Sultan Muhammad Ghori had waqfed two villages for the Jama Masjid of Multan. After this, the number of waqf properties continued to increase during the period of Mughal and other Islamic rulers.

Expansion of Waqf properties

Today, the Waqf Board has the most land after the Indian Railways and the Indian Army. The Waqf Board has about 8,70,000 properties under its control, which are spread over 9,40,000 acres of land. Their estimated value is around Rs 1,20,000 crore.

Claims and concerns of Waqf Law Amendment

Government's arguments

• Improvement in management: Transparency and accountability will be increased by amending the Waqf Act of 1995.
• Use of technology: Modern technology will be incorporated in the registration and management of Waqf properties.
• Abolition of 1923 law: The colonial era Muslim Waqf Act, 1923 will be abolished and a modern framework will be created.

Opposition's concerns

• Interference in religious matters: The opposition and Muslim organizations allege that the government is interfering in religious matters.
• Appointment of non-Muslims: Objections are being raised over the mandatory presence of two non-Muslim members in the Waqf Board.
• Property dispute: Under the new law, registration of Waqf properties will be made mandatory, due to which many properties can become government property.
• More powers to DM: If both the government and the Waqf Board claim a property, the final decision will depend on the discretion of the DM (District Magistrate).

Some provisions that are not controversial

• Proposal to form separate Waqf Boards for Shia, Sunni, Bohra and Agakhani communities.
• Provision to challenge the decisions of the Waqf Tribunal in the High Court.