Introduction
Waqf is basically an Islamic trust in which people or groups of
individuals donate their assets for a religious or charitable
purpose. The donated assets (usually real estate) are given
permanently with the restriction that they cannot be sold or
inherited. These assets are meant to provide revenues and serve the
purpose of being a welfare mechanism to be run for public welfare
or the community, such as educational institutions and hospitals,
and helping the needy.
It has a very long history that is extremely complex and
influenced by Islamic rulers, British imperialistic policies, and
post-independence reforms. The sequence of Waqf developments in
India is interlinked with the setting conditions from time to time
in the socio-political context and background.
