Debates On Amended Waqf Law Futile, Many Muslim Nations Have Similar Mechanisms: Govt Sources To News18

Last Updated:April 22, 2025, 16:14 IST

Western nations like the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Germany too regulate waqf under broad charity frameworks, said the sources

The Waqf (Amendment) Act came into effect this month. (Representational photo/PTI)

Domestic debates on the amended waqf management law are pointless, as similar frameworks exist globally, particularly in Muslim-majority nations, top government sources told CNN-News18 on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia’s Waqf system closely parallels India’s revised law in terms of administrative reforms, they said.

“India and Saudi Arabia both emphasise centralised governance, digitisation, and accountability. Saudi Arabia’s Directorate of Waqfs oversees properties, similar to India’s Central Waqf Council," said a source. “Revenues from waqf properties fund mosques, education, healthcare, and environmental initiatives, similar to India’s goal to use waqf resources for social welfare."

Turkey’s system, managed by the Directorate General of Foundations (Vakıflar Genel Müdürlüğü), shares India’s emphasis on modernisation and public welfare, the sources pointed out.

Turkey categorises waqf properties into registered, state-established, and minority waqfs, similar to India’s efforts to streamline classifications, they said.

“Like India’s digitised portal, Turkey uses centralised oversight to manage revenues for Quranic scholarships, healthcare, and heritage preservation," said a source. “Turkey permits minority Waqfs like Armenian, Greek, a similarity to how India partially adopts this through non-Muslim representation in governance."

As custodian of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jordan employs a hybrid system, the sources observed. Jordan’s royal family oversees waqf properties, akin to India’s collaboration between state and central authorities.

In Malaysia, State Islamic Religious Councils (SIRCs) manage waqf properties with strong state control, they said.

The Waqf Board of Indonesia (BWI) focuses on the economic productivity of waqf assets in Indonesia but does not prioritise gender equality, said the sources.

“Egypt, Sudan, and Libya have dedicated government bodies. These countries use specialised ministries or departments for waqf management," a source said.

Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments is the nodal body to register and monitor waqf properties, similar to India’s digitised audits, the sources noted. Libya and Sudan also have dedicated waqf departments but lack India’s transparency measures like mandatory audits and stakeholder representation.

Nations like the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Germany regulate waqf under broad charity frameworks, said the sources.

The UK’s Charity Commission treats Waqf properties as general charitable assets, without India’s specialised tribunals or sectarian inclusivity, they said.

Unlike India’s provisions for Muslim women and the backward classes, Western systems lack such requirements, they added.

“India’s amendments stand out globally for the inclusion of non-Muslims, with two non-Muslim members on waqf boards, a rarity in Islamic nations," a source said. “Reserved seats for Shia, Sunni, Bohra, and backward-class Muslims are absent in Saudi Arabia or Malaysia. Allowing high court appeals against tribunal decisions diverges from Jordan’s religious courts. These reforms position India’s system as a hybrid model, balancing Islamic tradition with secular accountability, something missing in the Islamic and Western worlds."

News india Debates On Amended Waqf Law Futile, Many Muslim Nations Have Similar Mechanisms: Govt Sources To News18