A Muslim civil society organisation in Guwahati has decided to launch a state-wide awareness campaign to educate the public on waqf-related issues and also constitute a legal team in every district to monitor, advise, and litigate on matters linked to the Waqf Act.
The decision was taken at a meeting organised by the Greater Guwahati Muslim Society (GGMS) here on Saturday.
The meeting, involving prominent Muslim organisations, citizens and civil society organisations (CSO) from across Assam, continued for five hours and was held amid the Supreme Court hearing of petitions challenging the validity of the amended Waqf Act.
Zunaid Khalid, president of the society and an advocate, told The Telegraph that the meeting unanimously opposed the amended Act because “waqf is an integral part of our religion.”
The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, was passed by Parliament on April 4 and secured the President’s assent on April 5. The apex court case will resume hearing on May 5.
The amended Act has triggered concern among the state’s Muslim community, which makes up 34 per cent of the total population of over 3.4 crore, as reflected in the meeting’s outcome.
Speakers at the meeting voiced concern over the Act’s potential to “dismantle the historical and lawful” status of waqf properties in India, adding the amended Act could cause “deep geopolitical ripples across the northeastern region.”
Those opposed to the amended Act claim it is an “unconstitutional” piece of legislation and would “adversely” impact the management of Waqf properties by the Muslim community once implemented.
Khalid said the meeting passed a collective resolution to launch a state-wide awareness campaign to educate the public on:
• The religious sanctity of Waqf in Islam
• The importance of preserving Waqf properties
• The need to ensure these properties are used strictly for their intended charitable and religious purposes
• A legal team will be constituted in every district of Assam to monitor, advise, and litigate on issues associated with waqf. Assam has 35 districts.
• A memorandum highlighting the community’s concerns will be submitted to the President, the Prime Minister and the chief minister of Assam, urging reconsideration and withdrawal of the Act and advocating for inclusive consultations with religious communities.
The GGMS has been involved in social work since 2010 but was officially registered only last year, Khalid said.
According to Khalid, a public meeting is also being planned in Guwahati next month to create awareness on waqf issues, to which prominent citizens from other religions will also be invited.
Waqf is a permanent dedication of a movable or immovable property for religious or pious activities under Islamic law. These properties, managed by a mutawalli (designated caretaker), cannot be sold or transferred, and the income generated from them can be used for specific social work.
The House was also briefed on the recent interim order passed by the Supreme Court of India on April 17, granting limited relief regarding the enforcement of the amended Act. The legal developments and pending challenges against the Act were discussed in detail, Khalid said.
Appealing to the public to maintain peace and communal harmony, Khalid said the House collectively expressed hope and faith in the Supreme Court to ensure that the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, is repealed in the interest of justice and minority rights.