The Kerala-based Sri Narayan Manav Dharmam Trust argues that the Waqf Act undermines the economic and religious foundation of the Muslim community
NEW DELHI — A Hindu trust from Kerala has approached the Supreme Court this week challenging the Waqf Act. The Sri Narayan Manav Dharmam Trust contends that the law constitutes a direct assault on the identity of the Muslim community and could severely impact their religious and economic practices.
The trust has sought intervention in the ongoing petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf Act. The Kerala-based Hindu group claims that the law’s implementation could lead to the erosion of Muslim identity in India.
The petition argues that the Waqf Act poses a significant threat to the survival of the Muslim community in India, as it undermines the Waqf system, a cornerstone of Islamic economic and social life. According to the trust, the Act establishes government control over the zakat (almsgiving) and waqf (charitable endowment) systems, which are fundamental to maintaining Islamic traditions.
The Waqf Board, which traditionally manages these charitable assets, has been a critical component of the economic framework for Muslims in India. The trust argues that this law effectively strips the Muslim community of the resources necessary to preserve their religious and cultural practices, leading to the potential demise of Islamic institutions.
In its intervention petition, the trust has labelled the Waqf Act as an unconstitutional “state-designed and imposed law” that infringes upon the autonomy of the Muslim community. The trust’s petition emphasises that the Act, by placing Waqf under governmental control, disrupts the traditional economic basis for maintaining religious practices among Muslims.
The trust’s stance is that the Waqf Board has long served as the economic backbone for Islamic activities in India, and this law could jeopardise the financial resources that support mosques, educational institutions, and charitable works within the community.
Notably, the Supreme Court has banned the filing of new petitions regarding the Waqf Act, allowing only those who have already filed petitions to join the ongoing arguments. The court stated that individuals or groups wishing to challenge the law may do so by filing intervention petitions in the existing case.
While the Sri Narayan Manav Dharmam Trust’s petition represents a new dimension in the debate over the Waqf Act, Muslim organisations have voiced concerns about the law from the beginning. Many argue that the Act could lead to increased government intervention in religious matters, stripping the Muslim community of its ability to independently manage its charitable assets and institutions.
Opposition parties have also expressed reservations, with some claiming that the Act could marginalise the Muslim community further by limiting their autonomy over religious resources.
