India Enacts Waqf Law: How Islamic Countries Regulate Waqf Properties
A ‘waqf’ is a charitable endowment in Islam, made in the name of God for specific purposes like mosque construction or education
Waqf Law in India: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, governs waqfs in India. It replaces the 1995 law and mirrors provisions in several Muslim-majority countries
Waqf Law Challenges in India: The Indian Waqf law is currently under scrutiny, with the Supreme Court hearing petitions on its constitutionality. Certain provisions are on hold until May
Waqf Laws Across the World: Many Muslim-majority countries, like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Pakistan, have specific laws governing waqfs
Saudi Arabia’s Waqf System: Saudi Arabia, as the custodian of Mecca and Medina, has a waqf system similar to India’s, but non-Muslims are excluded from managing waqfs
Waqf in Jordan: Jordan’s courts, which are religious courts, oversee waqf matters, a system that shares similarities with India's new law
Waqf and Non-Muslims in India: India’s new law allows non-Muslims to participate in waqf management, unlike most Islamic countries, except for countries like Turkey and Iran
Representation of Disadvantaged Groups: India’s new waqf law ensures representation of Muslims from backward and disadvantaged classes, a provision not found in many Muslim-majority countries