Journey of Waqf Board: Prime Minister in the winter session of Parliament Narendra Modi It was said that there is no place in India for the Waqf Board Act. After this it was also estimated that the government may present an MLA for the Waqf amendment. However, the history of Waqf in the country is very old. It is important to know how the Waqf Board came in India and what is its connection with Mohammad Gauri. Letโs know about this in detail.
What is the meaning of Waqf
The word Waqf is considered very important in Islam, but there is no mention of the word like Waqf in the Quran directly. The Waqf Arabic word comes out of Waqfa, which means stopping or stabilizing. Any property or resource that is given for philanthropy is called Waqf. Once a property is declared the Waqf, it is owned by Waqf, not the person whom he was. It is believed that it again goes to Allah and it will be used in the use of society.
Waqfโs connection to Mohammad Gauri
The concept of Waqf in India is considered as old as Islam. The name of Waqf is related to the reign of Mohammad Gauri. After winning Prithviraj Chauhan at the end of the 12th century, Mohammad Gauri tried to strengthen his power by increasing military strength and Islamic institutions. Mohammad Gauri donated two villages to the Jama Masjid of Multan for the education and worship of Muslims. In India, it is considered one of the first example of Waqf. The income that used to be from these two villages was used for religious works and philanthropy. Gauri appointed Shaikhul Islam to oversee these properties.
Mughal Sultanate promoted Waqf
After this, the Waqf started emerging as the main power in the northern India of the Delhi Sultanate. Big Sultans like Alauddin Khilji and Iltutmish dedicated land, buildings and money to Waqf. Which was used for madrasas, mosques and Sufi dargahs. Then the Mughal Empire thought of giving Waqf the form of an institution. After this, Akbar and Aurangzeb also contributed a lot to the Waqf. The British started interference in Waqfโs property under their rule. Then after independence, Waqf needed to be preserved and safe. Then in 1954 the Government of India passed the Waqf Act.
Waqfโs land spread over so many acres
The government established the State Waqf Board to look after it. In 1995, the Waqf Act further strengthened this structure and made Waqf boards a legal protector of Waqfโs properties. According to PIB, the Waqf Board currently controls 8.7 lakh properties spread over 9.4 lakh acres across India. Its estimated price is around Rs 1.2 lakh crore. India has the biggest stake of Waqf.
