The Waqf Board bill introduced in the Lok Sabha is stuck. Now it will be sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Opposition parties are objecting to the bill, while the Center says that it will only benefit the minorities. One special thing in the bill is that instead of Waqf, a separate board will be formed for Bohra and Agakhani Muslims. It is being called Auqaf Board.
Why can a separate board be formed?
The Center on Wednesday introduced an amendment bill to change the Waqf Board Act, on which the opposition created a lot of uproar. The Center says that with the introduction of this bill, common Muslims, especially the underprivileged, will get justice. Besides, there will be transparency in the work of Waqf Board. There are many special things in the bill, like giving more space to women and creating Auqaf Board for Bohra and Aga Khanis. Auqaf is synonymous with Waqf but it is taken in a broader sense.
Aga Khanis had accused of discrimination
There have been allegations from these Muslim communities like arbitrary behavior of the Waqf Board and usurpation of property. Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board, in the year 2023, Aga Khan Shia Imami Council had alleged that Maharashtra Waqf Board wants to forcibly take the properties of Aga Khani Muslim community. In fact, the Waqf Board had declared five trusts of the Aga Khanis in Mumbai as their property. The council had sought intervention from the Center on this matter. The Union Minority Ministry had also taken cognizance of this complaint, but there is no information available about what happened next in the matter.
While presenting the bill, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had said that the opposition is talking about only a few Muslims, while the Center wants to provide justice to the backward community among Muslims by bringing the bill. This is where the mention of Bohra, Aga Khani and Ahmadiya comes in, for whom there is talk of a separate board so that they have rights over their property.
Who are Bohra?
The word Bohra comes from the Gujarati word vohru, which means trade. Business: This business related community is spread in Madhya Pradesh, Kolkata, Rajasthan and Chennai apart from Gujarat and Mumbai in India. These can be both Shia and Sunni. Sunni Bohras follow Hanafi Islamic law, while Dawoodi Bohras are closer to Shias. Apart from India, this section is also present in Gulf countries and Pakistan, here also they are businessmen.
the outfit looks different
The Bohra community identifies itself as progressive. In many ways, men and women of the Bohra community consider themselves different from the rest of the Muslims of the country. This difference is also reflected in the dress. The traditional dress of Dawoodi Bohra women is Rida which makes them different from other Muslims of the country. It does not cover the woman’s face completely, rather it has a small flap, which is called Pardi. It is bent on one side so that not much of the woman’s face is visible. Let us tell you that Rida can be of any color other than black.
Men wear a three-part dress, which includes a kurta similar to an Angrakha, a saya similar to an overcoat and pants called Ijaar. Men also wear a golden or white cap, which has fine embroidery.
Being a businessman, Bohra meets others a lot, but personally he remains completely isolated. Marriages outside the community are still almost non-existent. Also, generally other people cannot enter the mosques of Bohras.
What is different about Aga Khani Muslims?
Ismaili or Aga Khani Muslims are settled in 35 countries of the world including India. The population of people of this Muslim community worldwide is around 1.5 crores. Agakhani came to Sindh from Khyber province of Afghanistan about a thousand years ago and settled in India.
A lot of information about this can be found on their official website, The Ismaili. He is the only Shia Muslim who believes in a living Imam. At present Aga Khan is the Imam of this Muslim community. One thing that is quite different about this community is that they are rarely seen offering namaz in public.
Not that much fanaticism in religious ways
Many of their other religious practices are a little different from the others. In case of need, such as lack of space for namaz or on any other occasion, women can also offer namaz along with men. This community does not observe fasting so strictly for the entire month. Going on Hajj is optional for Ismaili Muslims. This is completely on their choice.
Apart from these, Ahmadiyya Muslims can also be given a separate place in Waqf. There was a lot of controversy over this section of Muslims. Even the Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board had brought a proposal to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims, which was banned by the High Court.
what is the reason
Ahmadiyya is a sub-category of Sunni Muslims, who consider themselves Muslims, but do not consider Mohammed Sahib as the last prophet. They believe that their guru i.e. Mirza Ghulam Ahmed was a prophet (messenger) after Mohammed. At the same time, the followers of Islam all over the world continued to consider Mohammed as the last prophet. This is what makes Ahmadiyya Muslims different from the rest.
Difference between Pakistan and Saudi along with Ahmadiyya
In Pakistan, Ahmadiyya Muslims have been given the status of non-Muslims and violence against them is common. Even their cemeteries and mosques have been separated. There is also an official ban on them going to Haj, which has been imposed by Saudi itself. We do not have this level of hatred towards Ahmadis but discrimination is definitely visible. Like Andhra Pradesh Waqf repeatedly calling them non-Muslims. In such a situation, the profit of the property was also being affected. This is the reason why there is talk of giving them a separate place in the Waqf Board in the new draft.
What is the Auqaf Board that is being mentioned?
There is discussion of a separate Auqaf Board along with Waqf, in which these communities of Muslims will be placed. Auqaf is also an Arabic word which means donation in the name of Allah. Basically Waqf and Auqaf are the same. This can also be understood that at present there are Sunni and Shia Waqf boards, but the Center also talked about Bohra and Agakhani Waqf.