From Nawab to Vice President, who has given the most properties to Waqf Board in India? New Delhi: The Waqf Board is India's third-largest landowner, managing over 9.4 lakh acres of properties as of December 2022. Waqf (meaning "held in trust" in Arabic) refers to properties donated for religious or charitable purposes under Islamic law. Hyderabad’s Nizam VII alone donated land now worth billions—showcasing Waqf’s enduring economic and cultural impact. India’s Waqf Board operates semi-autonomously, unlike Pakistan/Bangladesh where governments regulate it.