Religious scholars and community leaders maintain that management of waqf institutions and properties should remain with the Muslim community
BHOPAL/LUKNOW — The appointment of two non-Muslim members to the newly constituted Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board has triggered criticism from several Muslim religious leaders and organisations, with objections being raised in both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The Madhya Pradesh government recently constituted a new Waqf Board with a ten-member executive body. The inclusion of two non-Muslim members has become the centre of a growing debate, drawing reactions from clerics and community leaders who argue that waqf institutions are linked to the religious affairs and charitable endowments of Muslims.
One of the strongest responses has come from Bhopal-based Nikah Qazi Maaz Khan Nomani Nadvi, who publicly opposed the appointments and announced his resignation from several positions in protest.
Speaking on the issue, Maaz Khan Nomani Nadvi said, “The Waqf Board is a religious and Islamic institution of Muslims. Therefore, the appointment of non-Muslims to the board is not acceptable to me.”
He argued that waqf matters are directly connected to the religious and community affairs of Muslims and should therefore be administered by members of the Muslim community. As part of his protest, he resigned from his responsibilities as Nikah Qazi, stepped down from the Deeni Taleem Board and also resigned from his position as General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema in Madhya Pradesh.
The controversy has also attracted attention in Uttar Pradesh, where several Muslim scholars have voiced similar concerns.
Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali, President of the Islamic Centre of India in Lucknow, said that objections to the inclusion of non-Muslims in waqf institutions had been raised earlier during discussions surrounding the amended waqf legislation.
“There was opposition from the (All India) Muslim Personal Law Board and several other organisations when provisions were made to include non-Muslims as members,” he said.
Explaining his position, he stated, “The responsibility for managing waqf properties belongs to Muslims because waqf is property dedicated by Muslims in the path of God with a charitable intention.”
He noted that a large number of waqf properties across India consist of mosques, graveyards, shrines and other religious sites used by Muslims for worship and religious activities.
“Muslims understand better how their religious institutions and places of worship should be managed according to their beliefs and practices,” he said.
Firangi Mahali also expressed disappointment that objections raised by Muslim organisations during discussions on the law were not accepted and said the recent appointments in Madhya Pradesh had renewed those concerns.
Similar views were expressed by Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, National President of the All India Muslim Jamaat. He questioned the inclusion of non-Muslim members in a body established to oversee waqf properties.
“In India’s democratic system, such appointments were not made in the past. The Madhya Pradesh government has now created a new precedent,” he said.
He argued that waqf properties are religious endowments created and maintained by Muslims and that decisions regarding their administration should remain within the community.
“Waqf institutions have been established for the maintenance and management of Muslim charitable and religious properties,” he said. “Those responsible for their administration should be familiar with the religious requirements connected to them.”
The appointments have added to the wider national debate surrounding waqf administration and the implementation of recent legal changes affecting waqf institutions. Supporters of the appointments point to provisions in the law permitting such representation, while critics maintain that religious endowments should remain under the management of members of the faith community concerned.
As discussions continue, the issue is expected to remain a subject of legal, political and religious debate in the coming weeks, with various organisations closely watching developments in Madhya Pradesh and their possible implications for other states.
