People Across J&K Rejected Waqf Amendment Act: MMU ‘Resolution Read Aloud in Mosques, Shrines, and Imambaras’
Srinagar, Apr 11, KNT: The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) on Friday led a region-wide rejection of the Waqf Amendment Act 2025, calling for its immediate rollback and voicing serious apprehensions about its implications on Islamic institutions and religious autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir. The rejection came as part of a coordinated campaign initiated by the MMU, in which imams and scholars publicly read out a resolution during Friday congregational prayers across the Kashmir Valley, Jammu, Chenab region, Leh, and Kargil.
MMU in a statement said that the move saw widespread participation and support from the public, with the resolution being endorsed in mosques, khanqahs, shrines, and Imambaras. Religious leaders described the new legislation as deeply concerning, warning that it undermines the centuries-old traditions of Waqf management rooted in Islamic values. The MMU expressed serious concern that the law alters the fundamental character of the Waqf system by increasing government control and diminishing the authority of the Muslim community in managing its own religious endowments.
One of the major criticisms raised was the provision allowing non-Muslims to be appointed to Central and State Waqf Boards, including the removal of the requirement that the CEO must be a Muslim. Scholars argued that this change departs from the spiritual and religious ethos of Waqf administration. The law also gives sweeping powers to district collectors to determine whether a property qualifies as Waqf, raising fears of unilateral decisions that could weaken the role of existing Waqf Boards.
Adding to the unrest was the ongoing house detention of MMU chairman, Mirwaiz Dr. Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, who was once again barred from delivering the Friday sermon at Srinagar’s historic Jama Masjid. Scholars and clerics voiced strong condemnation of the restrictions, terming them undemocratic and deeply hurtful to the religious sentiments of the Muslim community.
The MMU’s resolution also criticised the repeal of Section 40 of the Waqf Act, 1995, which previously empowered Waqf Boards to determine the Waqf status of properties. The amendment, it said, creates ambiguity around longstanding religious sites and opens the door to legal uncertainties. The removal of protection for sites that had long been used as Waqf despite lacking formal documentation was also highlighted as a serious concern, especially for mosques, graveyards, and shrines.
Further, changes to the functioning of Waqf Tribunals, including the redirection of appeals to High Courts, were viewed as potentially delaying justice and increasing litigation burdens for already marginalised communities.
The MMU reaffirmed its full support to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), pledging to stand by any peaceful and legal measures the board may adopt to address the challenges arising from the new law. It urged the Muslim community to remain united, vigilant, and law-abiding while supporting efforts aimed at safeguarding the religious institutions and charitable trusts that serve the community.
Concluding its appeal, the MMU invoked prayers for divine guidance and protection of Islamic institutions, expressing hope that reason and justice would prevail in matters of faith and heritage. [KNT]
