Waqf amendment bill 2025: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Wednesday (April 02, 2025), dismissed the allegations of opposition MPs of intimidating Muslims through the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha, saying that the opposition is scaring minorities by spreading confusion for the vote bank. In the discussion on Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the House, Amit Shah said, I have heard closely that the discussion that is going on from 12 noon today. I think that either innocent or due to political reasons, many members have a lot of misconceptions and there have been many misconceptions to spread a lot of misconceptions throughout the House and through you all over the country. Some things have been kept here by opposition members, which need to be clarified.
Amit Shah told the meaning of Waqf
He said that ‘Waqf’ is an Arabic word, whose history is related to some hadiths. Its meaning is nowadays as a charitable endowment. Waqf means ‘donating holy properties in the name of Allah’. The term was first used in the time of Khalifa Omar and if you understand it in today’s time, then it is a donation of a property that is given by a person with the aim of withdrawing for religious or social good. This process is called ‘Waqf’.
Amit Shah told when Waqf came in existence?
Shah said that charity is very important, but donations can be done that is our own. No one can donate government property nor can anyone’s property be donated. He said that the existence of Waqf in the country came at the beginning of the Sultanate period of Delhi and during the British time it was run under the Religious Donation Act. Later in 1890, its process under the Charitable Property Act took place, then in 1913 the Muslim Waqf validating act came into existence. It was then replaced for centralization in 1954 and in 1995, Waqf Tribunal and Waqf boards were established. He stressed, Waqf Parishad and Waqf Board have come into existence since 1995.
‘Non-Muslim entry will not be in Waqf’
Amit Shah said that the entire controversy that is going on is about the entry of non-Muslims in Waqf. He said that earlier there was a provision that there could be no non-Islamic member in Waqf. It is clear that nothing can be non-Islamic and no provision has been made to keep non-Muslim members in the operation of religious institutions nor do we want to make any such provision.
On the allegation by the opposition parties that the property of Muslims or the rights of their equality would be damaged, the Home Minister said that the Waqf Board and the Council were formed since 1995 and this process is only related to the administration and regulation of the property, not to interfere in the beliefs of any religion. He also said that minorities are being intimidated by spreading this confusion, so that their vote bank can be made.
Amit Shah told what will be the work of Waqf Board?
Amit Shah also clarified that the work of the Waqf Board is not to conduct religious activities. Their work is only to see whether the administration of the property given for donation is being done properly or not. He said, for whom the donation has been given, whether it has been given to the religion of Islam or for the upliftment of the poor, it is our job to see whether it is being used properly or not. The Waqf Board has been formed under the Trust Act, where trustees are those who will see the operation of this board. They can be of any religion, because their job is not to follow religion, but to conduct the trust according to the law.
Amit Shah said in this context that the purpose of the Waqf Board is not a religious work, this is an administrative work. He said that Waqf has originated from the principles of Islam, so this board is operated by followers of Islam. However, he clarified that the board is not religious and trustees can be of any religion in it. The purpose of Waqf is administrative, not religious.
Also read: ‘You can donate your property, not government land’, what Amit Shah said on the Waqf Bill?