Waqf properties donated by Muslims across India for religious, educational, and charitable uses–commonly referred to as waqf properties–have long been at the center of legal battles. The properties, which fall under Islamic law and are managed by state-appointed Waqf Boards–were traditionally given for mosques, graveyards, madrasas or public welfare. But with India’s cities expanding and land values increasing steadily over time, waqf properties have increasingly become targets of legal disputes related to ownership issues as waqf properties have increasingly come under attack as waqf boards have taken on more properties over their past donation history.
India currently hosts over 600,000 waqf properties – making it one of the largest collections of Muslim charitable land holdings globally. However, a number of these properties are involved in legal disputes between private parties and government agencies; often due to unclear records, unauthorised occupation or allegations of mismanagement from Waqf Boards themselves.
Cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad and Lucknow have seen real estate under waqf control become attractive to developers and political entities; yet community leaders maintain that its original purpose–serving the poor and protecting religious heritage–is being compromised.
Legal experts emphasize the seriousness of outdated land records, overlapped claims and slow courts as major contributors. Although the 1995 Waqf Act intended to safeguard these properties through enforcement measures such as amendments and reform proposals, enforcement has remained lax; such proposals have both received praise and generated controversy among both supporters and critics who fear further bureaucratic overreach or communal division.
Recent years, India’s Supreme Court has advocated for improved management and digitization of waqf records. Some states have taken steps to map and register waqf lands more transparently but results have been mixed.
As India modernizes and urbanizes, historical religious donations and contemporary real estate demands continue to clash. Resolving such disputes for India’s Muslim community is more than a legal battle; rather it involves upholding both faith and public good.
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