These people donated maximum land to Waqf Board in India, the name of top will surprise you, it is….

The Waqf Board, which has been in the news in recent days, is the third-largest landowner in India and owns approximately 872,000 registered immovable properties. However, several reports claim that the board owns more than 940,000 acres of land in different parts of the country in the form of mosques, madrasas, cemeteries, and other land used for community purposes. Muslim rulers, Sufi saints, wealthy businessmen, and religious leaders donated these properties to the Waqf Board. These individuals donated land for building mosques, dargahs, and madrasas.

These properties are exclusively reserved for religious purposes under Islamic law. Once these properties are donated to Waqf, it is transferred from the donor to Allah, making them immutable.

Indian Waqf administration operates with significant autonomy, unlike the heavily government-regulated systems in Pakistan and Bangladesh.  The legal framework governing Waqf in India is viewed through the lens of minority rights, contrasting with its classification under Islamic governance in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Nizams Among Top Donors

The Nizams of Hyderabad were known for their donations to the board. ‘Nizam’ is a short form for Nizam-ul-Mulk, which means ruler of the state.

Notably, Hyderabad city had ten Nizams. The first Nizam of the city was Mir Qamaruddin Khan (1724–1748) and the last was Mir Osman Ali Khan.

Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah VII, who owned major portion land in the Deccan regio, donated thousands of acres to Waqf.

Nizam’s Donations To Temples

Nizam Osman Ali Khan contributed significantly to several major temples, including Yadgirigutta, Tirupati, and the Golden Temple in Amritsar.  Similarly, the Golconda and Bijapur Sultanates in South India provided considerable funding to religious institutions and madrasas.

Mughals Donated To Waqf

Several Mughal emperors, including Akbar, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb, and prominent women such as Jahanara Begum, made substantial land donations to religious Waqf properties in cities like Delhi, Agra, and Hyderabad.

Followers Of Sufi Saints Contributed To Waqf

Followers of Sufi saints, such as Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi) and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), donated lands large properties. Dargahs of Salar Masood Ghazi (Bahraich) and Baba Farid (Punjab) also made notable contributions.

Muslim Traders And Landowners

Wealthy Muslim people, such as industrialists and landowners, contributed Waqf properties to support educational and religious organizations.  This included prominent figures like Sir Syed Muhammad and the Vakeel family of Ahmedabad.

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